Establish advisory panels.

The CLCPA instructs the Climate Action Council (CAC) to establish advisory panels with specialized expertise. The advisory panels provide recommendations on specific topics in the CAC’s preparation of the scoping plan, its updates to the scoping plan, and its fulfillment of ongoing duties. Each advisory panel has no more than five voting members elected by the CAC, and must represent individuals with direct involvement in or expertise on the matter that the advisory panel was convened to address. In addition to coordinating with the CAC in its preparation of the scoping plan, the advisory panels must coordinate with the Environmental Justice Working Group and the Climate Justice Working Group.

The CAC must, at a minimum, establish advisory panels on the following topics:

  • Transportation 
  • Energy intensive and trade-exposed industries 
  • Land use and local government 
  • Energy efficiency and housing 
  • Power Generation 
  • Agriculture and forestry


A full list of the CAC’s advisory panels and their members can be found here.

Statutory Language:

CLCPA §2 ECL §75-0103 (7): “The council shall convene advisory panels requiring special expertise and, at a minimum, shall establish advisory panels on transportation, energy intensive and trade-exposed industries, land-use and local government, energy efficiency and housing, power generation, and agriculture and forestry. The purpose of the advisory panels shall be to provide recommendations to the council on specific topics, in its preparation of the scoping plan, and interim updates to the scoping plan, and in fulfilling the council's ongoing duties. a. Each advisory panel shall be chaired by the relevant agency head or his or her designee. The council may convene and dissolve additional advisory panels, in its sole discretion, and pursuant to the requirements herein. b. Advisory panels shall be comprised of no more than five voting members. The council shall elect advisory panel members, and such membership shall at all times represent individuals with direct involvement or expertise in matters to be addressed by the advisory panels pursuant to this section. c. Advisory panels shall work directly with the council on the preparation of the scoping plan pursuant to this section. Each advisory panel shall coordinate with the environmental justice advisory group and climate justice working group. d. All agencies of the state or subdivisions thereof may, at the request of any such advisory panel or the council, provide the advisory panel with such facilities, assistance, and data as will enable advisory panels to carry out their powers and duties.”