Title VI Laws and Regulations
Title VI Law and EPA Regulations
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (42 U.S.C. §2000d to 2000d-7) (PDF), (13 pp, 23 K, About PDF) prohibits recipients of federal financial assistance from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin in their programs or activities. Title VI itself prohibits intentional discrimination.
Under EPA's Title VI implementing regulations found at 40 C.F.R. Part 7 (PDF)(18 pp, 233 K, About PDF), EPA-funded agencies are prohibited from taking acts, including permitting actions, that are intentionally discriminatory or have a discriminatory effect based on race, color, or national origin.
Title VI discrimination complaints may be filed with the federal agency that provided the financial assistance. EPA's External Civil Rights Compliance Office (ECRCO) is responsible for the Agency's administration of Title VI. All Title VI administrative complaints are processed and investigated by ECRCO.
Other Federal Non-Discrimination Laws and Regulations
In addition to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, EPA has nondiscrimination responsibilities under other federal statutes, including:
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities under federally-assisted programs or activities;
- Section 13 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination based on sex under programs or activities receiving financial assistance under the Clean Water Act;
- Title IX of the Education Act Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally-assisted education programs (also see 40 C.F.R. Part 5 - Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance (18 pp, 259 K, About PDF) ); and
- Age Discrimination Act of 1975, which prohibits age discrimination under federally-assisted programs.