Sec. 2. Establishment and operation of civilian conservation and climate corps
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In order to relieve the acute problem of youth unemployment in the United States, and to provide for the restoration of depleted natural resources and the achievement of a sustainable natural environment, the President may establish and operate a Civilian Conservation and Climate Corps to employ otherwise unemployed or underemployed youth aged 16 through 25, in carrying out works of a public nature in connection with conservation projects to meet the challenges of climate change, to be undertaken in consultation with relevant government agencies and private not-for-profit conservation organizations at the Federal, State, local, and Tribal level throughout the United States and its territories.
The President may build on existing and new partnerships with Program Partners, such as the existing network of conservation corps organizations working across the United States. These projects may include, without limitation— the development of environmental education and recreation programs for children; the forestation of lands belonging to the United States or a State; the weatherization and installation of energy saving improvements in the homes and neighborhoods of low- and moderate-income families, including solar panels; the prevention of forest fires, floods, and soil erosion; the maintenance and improvement of existing public parks, tree planting, and the construction and maintenance of new public parks in cooperation with municipalities; plant pest and disease control using sustainable, nonenvironmentally harmful practices; the establishment, maintenance, and/or improvement of community gardens and urban farms along with public markets for the sale of local agricultural products and distribution networks to enhance the quality and quantity of fresh, local food available to low income families; the construction, maintenance, repair, and supervision of paths, trails, and fire-lanes in units of the National Park System, public lands, and other lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior and units of the National Forest System; subcontracted work on labor-intensive components of capital-intensive environmental projects; and such other work as is consistent with the environmental goals and employment purposes of this Act.
To operate the Civilian Conservation and Climate Corps, the President may utilize existing Federal departments and agencies, including the Department of Labor, the Department of Defense, the National Guard Bureau, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Commerce, the Corporation for National and Community Service, and other and Federal governmental corporations.
Projects carried out on State and local public property shall be undertaken in consultation with and subject to the sponsorship of appropriate State and local government agencies. To expedite the Civilian Conservation and Climate Corps’ immediate impact, the President shall extensively utilize qualified youth service and conservation corps as defined in section 6(5)(d). The President may extend the activities of the Civilian Conservation and Climate Corps to lands owned by a political subdivision of a State and lands in private ownership, but only for the purpose of conducting such kinds of cooperation work as are otherwise authorized by law and consistent with the program’s purposes.
For the purpose of carrying out this Act, the President may enter into such contracts or agreements with public and private entities as may be necessary, including provisions for utilization of existing State and local administrative agencies. The President, or the head of any department or agency authorized by the President to construct any project or to carry on any public works under this Act, may acquire real property for such project or public work by purchase, donation, condemnation, or otherwise.
The Program shall include a prominently featured educational and training component providing concerted support for participants to obtain a high school diploma if they lack one and to receive specialized training to the extent necessary to permit them to perform their jobs in a professionally competent manner. The Administrator of the Program shall establish and administer a project selection process that is merit based, consistent with the purposes of this Act, free of political influence, and ensures that projects are fairly distributed among the States and Federal lands.
The President shall establish an Office of the Inspector General of the Civilian Conservation and Climate Corps pursuant to the provisions of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.).