California Environmental Youth Advisory Committee

Key Information

  • Application
  • Secretarial Memo

Timeline

Applications for the Founding Cohort will open July 31, 2026. The Founding Cohort will launch in Fall 2026.

Eligibility and Application

Eligibility

Applicants are limited to youth ages 15-20 residing in California.

Application

The application period will open from July 31, 2026 through September 15, 2026. The application will be posted here when available.

  • One Letter of Recommendation is required.
  • The Letter of Recommendation can be from:
    • An advisor (academic advisor, teacher, research advisor, etc.)
    • Peer (classmate, colleague, etc.)
  • The Letter of Recommendation can not be from a family member.

Authority, Duties, and Scope

Authority

On (insert date), Secretary Yana Garcia established CEYAC via a policy memorandum. CEYAC will serve as an official advisory body to CalEPA to provide a structured platform to engage California’s youth in environmental policy, education, and decision-making.

Duties and Responsibilities

The duties of CEYAC include, but are not limited to:

  1. Develop a youth agenda.
  2. Provide youth input on critical environmental issues facing youth to CalEPA.
  3. Prioritize and address environmental justice concerns disproportionately affecting disadvantaged youth.
  4. Research and analyze existing environmental regulations, identifying areas for improvement or expansion to better address youth concerns.
  5. Draft policy recommendations and legislative proposals focused on specific environmental regulations and policies.
  6. Host public awareness initiatives to increase youth understanding of environmental issues.

The Founding Cohort will function as a condensed pilot program to test the council’s structure, refine its processes, and establish best practices for full implementation in future terms. This will be followed by a full term running from April 2027 through March 2028, with the same members continuing from the pilot term. Members will participate in quarterly hybrid meetings and one annual in-person meeting,

Scope

CEYAC will be organized around three mission pillars:

  1. Youth Engagement—Engage students in environmental policy, allowing students to bring environmental stewardship to their schools and local communities.
  2. Policy Development—Provide feedback to CalEPA on environmental policy, priorities, and regulations to address concerns most affecting our youth.
  3. Awareness—Educate the public, especially youth, on environmental issues.

Contact Information

CalRecycle’s Environmental Education Initiative team will serve as CEYAC’s lead coordinator.