Orlando Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost introduced a new bill in the House of Representatives, the Youth Climate Leadership Act, legislation to cement the existence of the National Environmental Youth Advisory Council (NEYAC) at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to create more youth advisory councils at relevant federal agencies.
Rep. Frost, a Democrat, said his bill comes as Republican President-Elect Donald Trump has vowed to gut and rollback climate protections once he returns to the White House.
Under Democratic President Joe Biden, EPA Administrator Michael Regan created the Youth Advisory Council with the goal of ensuring the next generation of Americans had a seat at the table when it came to tackling the climate crisis and ensuring the U.S. is a global leader in the fight to protect our environment. Since then the council has been composed of young people from all over the country who are focused on putting forth comprehensive solutions that can be implemented at the federal level.
The Youth Climate Leadership Act has already been introduced in the Senate by Democratic Senators Laphonza Butler and Ed Markey. The Central Florida Representative’s introduction now means that both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House could act swiftly to pass the legislation and ensure the President can sign it into law.
“By creating the Youth Advisory Council at the EPA, we ensured that for the first time ever, young people would be centered and heard in our fight to tackle the climate crisis. This is about leaving the planet a better place than we found it, for our present and for our future,” said Congressman Maxwell Frost. “The incoming Administration has made it clear that saving our environment is not a priority. The work the Youth Council and the EPA have done has changed our country for the better and put young people at the helm. We must act swiftly to do everything we can to protect the progress we have made.”
“The decisions we make – or don’t make – today to address our climate crisis will have lifelong impacts on the youngest Americans. To prepare for the future, the next generation of leaders must take a seat at the table now,” said California Senator Laphonza Butler. “The Youth Climate Leadership Act will make sure that the federal government listens to young people’s voices as we fight to achieve our nation’s climate goals.”
The Youth Climate Leadership Act directs the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, and Interior, as well as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, to establish Youth Advisory Councils made up of young people between the ages of 16 and 29 for the purpose of providing recommendations regarding environmental issues as they relate to youth, including:
- Recommendations regarding programs to help local governments address environmental issues in disadvantaged communities;
- Recommendations regarding performance measures to quantify the impact of climate change and other environmental harms that affect youth communities; and
- Researching, writing reports on, and making recommendations with a focus on environmental justice, climate change mitigation and resilience, and pollution reduction.
The bill provides $250,000 annually to each agency for the purposes of operating the Youth Advisory Councils, for total annual funding of $1.25 million.
The legislation has also been endorsed by the Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund, Center for Biological Diversity, River Kidz, Florida Native Plant Society, Latino Outdoors, Moms Clean Air Force, California Environmental Voters.
“Youth voices must be uplifted when it comes to climate policy,” said Jackie Ostfeld, Campaign Director of Sierra Club’s Outdoors for All. “Not only will this provide valuable experience to put our young people in a good position as the next generation of decision makers, these policy decisions have a direct impact on their futures. They deserve to play a part in deciding what that future is. We have already seen the ambition and drive young climate activists have. This is a wonderful move by Representative Frost to invest in the nation’s future and acknowledge the role that youth voices can have in shaping climate policy.”
“It is so critically important that the voices of young people be heard, and given serious consideration, by our lawmakers. The future belongs to all of us, and the youngest among us have the most to gain – or lose – in the fight to address climate change. They will inherit the results of Congressional action – or inaction,” said Eugene Kelly, President of Florida Native Plant Society.
“The River Kidz are youth advocates who are part of the Rivers Coalition and are dedicated to championing a safe, healthy, and ecologically balanced St. Lucie River Estuary and Indian River Lagoon. We proudly endorse the Youth Climate Leadership Act and recognize the critical importance of young voices in shaping environmental policy, ensuring a healthy environment for all to thrive. We thank Representative Frost for introducing this bill and look forward to seeing River Kidz and other passionate young leaders serve on these newly established Youth Advisory Councils,” said Casey Darling Kniffin and Kelli Doré, River Kidz Co-Leads.
