EPA Press Office:

EPA Invites Youth to Serve on Agency's First-Ever National Environmental Youth Advisory Council

WASHINGTON (June 22, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the formal establishment of the agency’s first-ever National Environmental Youth Advisory Council (NEYAC). The NEYAC will provide independent advice and recommendations to Administrator Michael S. Regan on how to increase EPA’s efforts to address a range of environmental issues as they relate to youth communities. The NEYAC will provide a critical perspective on how the impacts of climate change and other environmental harms affect youth communities. The Administrator announced his intent to launch the youth council last June at the Austrian World Summit.

EPA is soliciting applications for youth to fill 16 vacancies on the NEYAC. Selected applicants will contribute to a balance of perspectives, backgrounds, and experience of the council and will be appointed by the Administrator. As a first-of-its-kind committee, all members of NEYAC will be between the ages of 16 and 29. 

As part of the agency’s commitment to centering environmental justice communities, at least 50% of the overall membership of NEYAC will come from, reside primarily in, and/or do most of their work in disadvantaged communities as defined by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) as part of Justice40. 

“We can’t tackle the environmental challenges of our time without input from our younger communities, who’ve long been at the forefront of social movements,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “This committee will help ensure that the voices and perspectives of our youth are included and valued in EPA’s decision-making as we continue to advance President Biden’s commitment to ensuring everyone in this country has access to clean air, safe water and healthy land, now and for generations to come.”

Applications to the NEYAC are due by August 22, 2023 at 11:59PM ET. To apply for appointment to the council, the below information is required:

• Contact information 
• Resume OR short biography OR qualification essay 
• Statement of interest 
• Media Project 

Visit the EPA NEYAC webpage for more information on the council and to apply.

EPA will be hosting virtual application webinars where the public can ask EPA staff questions live. The webinars will be on Zoom and will be hosted at the following times: 

• Friday, June 30, 2023 @ 3PM – 4PM ET // Register here
• Monday, August 7, 2023 @ 12PM – 1PM ET // Register here