Title 18—Conservation of Power and Water Resources--Volume 1
PART 705—NONDISCRIMINATION IN FEDERALLY ASSISTED PROGRAMS—EFFECTUATION OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964
§ 705.1   Purpose.
The purpose of this subpart is to implement the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 252 (hereafter referred to as the “Act”), to the end that no person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance from the Water Resources Council.
§ 705.2   Definitions.
As used in this part:
(a) Applicant means one who submits an application, request, or plan required to be approved by the Water Resources Council, or by a primary recipient, as a condition to eligibility for Federal financial assistance, and the term application means such an application, request, or plan.
(b) Facility includes all or any part of structures, equipment, or other real or personal property or interests therein, and the provision of facilities includes the construction, expansion, renovation, remodeling, alteration or acquisition of facilities.
(c) Federal financial assistance includes:
(1) Grants and loans of Federal funds;
(2) The grant or donation of Federal property and interests in property;
(3) The detail of Federal personnel;
(4) The sale and lease of, and the permission to use (on other than a casual or transient basis), Federal property or any interest in such property without consideration or at a nominal consideration, or at a consideration which is reduced for the purpose of assisting the recipient, or in recognition of the public interest to be served by such sale or lease to the recipient; and
(5) Any Federal agreement, arrangement, or other contract which has as one of its purposes the provision of assistance.
(d) Primary recipient means any recipient that is authorized or required to extend Federal financial assistance to another recipient for the purpose of carrying out a program.
(e) Program includes any program, project, or activity for the provision of services, financial aid, or other benefits to individuals (including education or training, health, welfare, rehabilitation, housing, or other services, whether provided through employees of the recipient of Federal financial assistance or provided by others through contracts or other arrangements with the recipient, and including work opportunities), or for the provision of facilities for furnishing services, financial aid or other benefits to individuals. The services, financial aid, or other benefits provided under a program receiving Federal financial assistance shall be deemed to include any services, financial aid, or other benefits provided with the aid of Federal financial assistance or the aid of any non-Federal funds, property, or other resources required to be expended or made available for the program to meet matching requirements or other conditions which must be met in order to receive the Federal financial assistance, and to include any services, financial aid, or other benefits provided in or through a facility provided with the aid of Federal financial assistance or such non-Federal resources.
(f) Recipient may mean any State, territory, possession, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico, or any political subdivision thereof, or instrumentality thereof, any public or private agency, institution, or organization, or other entity, or any individual, in any State, territory, possession, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico, to whom Federal financial assistance is extended, directly or through another recipient, for any program, including any successor, assignee, or transferee thereof, but such term does not include any ultimate beneficiary under any such program.
(g) Responsible agency official means the Director of the Water Resources Council or his designee.
§ 705.3   Application of this part.
This part applies to any program for which Federal financial assistance is authorized under a law administered by the Water Resources Council. It applies to money paid, property transferred, or other Federal financial assistance extended under any such program after the date of this part pursuant to an application whether approved before or after such date. This part does not apply to (a) any Federal financial assistance by way of insurance or guaranty contracts, or (b) any employment practice except to the extent described in § 705.4(c).
§ 705.4   Discrimination prohibited.
(a) General. No person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under, any program to which this part applies.
(b) Specific discriminatory actions prohibited. (1) A recipient under any program to which this part applies may not directly or through contractual or other arrangements, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin:
(i) Deny a person any service, financial aid, or other benefit provided under the program;
(ii) Provide any service, financial aid, or other benefit to a person which is different, or is provided in a different manner, from that provided to others under the program;
(iii) Subject a person to segregation or separate treatment in any matter related to his receipt of any service, financial aid, or other benefit under the program;
(iv) Restrict a person in any way in the enjoyment of any advantage or privilege enjoyed by others receiving any service, financial aid, or other benefit under the program;
(v) Treat a person differently from others in determining whether he satisfies any admission, enrollment, quota, eligibility, membership, or other requirement or condition which persons must meet in order to be provided any service, financial aid, or other benefit provided under the program; or
(vi) Deny a person an opportunity to participate in the program through the provision of services or otherwise or afford him an opportunity to do so which is different from that afforded others under the program.
(vii) Deny a person the opportunity to participate as a member of a planning or advisory body which is an integral part of the program.
(2) A recipient, in determining the types of services, financial aid, or other benefits, or facilities which will be provided under any such program, or the class of persons to whom, or the situations in which, such services, financial aid, other benefits, or facilties will be provided under any such program, or the class of persons to be afforded an opprotunity to participate in any such program, may not, directly or through contractual or other arrangements, utilize criteria or methods of administration which have the effect of subjecting persons to discrimination because of their race, color, or national origin, or have the effect of defeating or substantially impairing accomplishment of the objectives of the program with respect to individuals of a particular race, color, or national origin.
(3) As used in this section, the services, financial aid, or other benefits provided under a program receiving Federal financial assistance include any service, financial aid, or other benefit provided in or through a facility provided with the aid of Federal financial assistance.
(4) The enumeration of specific forms of prohibited discrimination in this paragraph does not limit the generality of the prohibition in paragraph (a) of this section.
(5) This part does not prohibit the consideration of race, color, or national origin if the purpose and effect are to remove or overcome the consequences of practices or impediments which have restricted the availability of, or participation in, the program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin. When previous discriminatory practice or usage tends, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, to exclude individuals from participation in, to deny them the benefits of, or to subject them to discrimination under any program or activity to which this part applies, the applicant or recipient has an obligation to take reasonable action to remove or overcome the consequences of the prior discriminatory practice or usage, and to accomplish the purposes of the Act.
(c) Employment practices. (1) Where a primary objective of a program of Federal financial assistance to which this part applies is to provide employment, a recipient or other party subject to this part shall not, directly or through contractual or other arrangements, subject a person to discrimination on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in its employment practices under such program (including recruitment or recruitment advertising, hiring, firing, upgrading, promotion, demotion, transfer, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation or benefits, selection for training or apprenticeship, use of facilities, and treatment of employees). Such recipient shall take affirmative action to insure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, color, or national origin. The requirements applicable to construction employment under any such program shall be those specified in or pursuant to part III of Executive Order 11246 or any Executive Order which supersedes it.
(2) Where a primary objective of the Federal financial assistance is not to provide employment, but discrimination on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in the employment practices of the recipient or other persons subject to the regulation tends, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, to exclude individuals from participation in, to deny them the benefits of, or to subject them to discrimination under any program to which this regulation applies, the provisions of paragraph (c)(1) of this section shall apply to the employment practice of the recipient or other persons subject to the regulation, to the extent necessary to assure equality of opportunity to, and nondiscriminatory treatment of, beneficiaries.
(d) Location of facilities. A recipient may not make a selection of a site or location of a facility if the purpose of that selection, or its effect when made, is to exclude individuals from participation in, to deny them the benefits of, or to subject them to discrimination under any program or activity to which this rule applies, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin; or if the purpose is to, or its effect when made will, substantially impair the accomplishment of the objectives of this part.
§ 705.5   Assurance required.
(a) General. Every application for Federal financial assistance to carry out a program to which this part applies, and every application for Federal financial assistance to provide a facility shall, as a condition to its approval and the extension of any Federal financial assistance pursuant to the application, contain or be accompanied by an assurance that the program will be conducted or the facility operated in compliance with all requirements imposed by or pursuant to this part. In the case of an application for Federal financial assistance to provide real property or structures thereon, or personal property or equipment of any kind, such assurance shall obligate the recipient, or, in the case of a subsequent transfer, the transferee, for the period during which the property is used for a purpose for which the Federal financial assistance is extended or for any other purpose involving the provisions of similar services or benefits. In all other cases, such assurance shall obligate the recipient for the period during which Federal financial assistance is extended pursuant to the application. The responsible agency official shall specify the form of the foregoing assurances for each program, and the extent to which like assurances will be required of subgrantees, contractors, and subcontractors, transferees, successors in interest, and other participants in the program. Any such assurance shall include provisions which give the United States a right to seek its judicial enforcement.
(b) Planning grants to States. Each designated State agency must submit the assurance specified in § 703.5(n) of these rules and regulations.
(c) River basin commissions. Each river basin commission is required to submit, along with its annual budget request, written assurance of its continuing compliance with § 705.4 of this part.
§ 705.6   Compliance information.
(a) Cooperation and assistance. The responsible agency official shall, to the fullest extent practicable, seek the cooperation of recipients in obtaining compliance with this part and shall provide assistance and guidance to recipients to help them comply voluntarily with this part.
(b) Compliance reports. Each recipient shall keep such records and submit to the responsible agency official timely, complete, and accurate compliance reports at such times, and in such form and containing such information, as the responsible agency official may determine to be necessary to enable him to ascertain whether the recipient has complied or is complying with this part. In the case of any program under which a primary recipient extends Federal financial assistance to any other recipient or subcontracts with any other person or group, such other recipient shall also submit such compliance reports to the primary recipient as may be necessary to enable the primary recipient to carry out its obligations under this part.
(c) Access to sources of information. Each recipient shall permit access by the responsible agency official during normal business hours to such of its books, records, accounts, and other sources of information, and its facilities, as may be pertinent to ascertain compliance with this part. Whenever any information required of a recipient is in the exclusive possession of any other agency, institution, or person and that agency, institution, or person fails or refuses to furnish that information, the recipient shall so certify in its report and set forth the efforts which it has made to obtain the information.
(d) Information to beneficiaries and participants. Each recipient shall make available to participants, beneficiaries, and other interested persons such information regarding the provisions of this part and its applicability to the program under which the recipient receives Federal financial assistance, and make such information available to them in such manner, as the responsible agency official finds necessary to apprise such persons of the protections against discrimination assured them by the Act and this part.
§ 705.7   Conduct of investigations.
(a) Periodic compliance reviews. The responsible agency official shall from time to time review the practices of recipients to determine whether they are complying with this part.
(b) Complaints. Any person who believes himself or any specific class of individuals to be subjected to discrimination prohibited by this part may by himself or by a representative file with the responsible agency official a written complaint. A complaint must be filed not later than 180 days from the date of the alleged discrimination, unless the time for filing is extended by the responsible agency official.
(c) Investigations. The responsible agency official will make a prompt investigation whenever a compliance review, report, complaint, or any other information indicates a possible failure to comply with this part. The investigation should include, whenever appropriate, a review of the pertinent practices and policies of the recipient, the circumstances under which the possible noncompliance with this part occurred, and other factors relevant to a determination as to whether the recipient has failed to comply with this part.
(d) Resolution of matters. (1) If an investigation pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section indicates a failure to comply with this part, the responsible agency official will so inform the recipient and the matter will be resolved by informal means whenever possible. If it has been determined that the matter cannot be resolved by informal means, action will be taken as provided for in § 705.8.
(2) If an investigation does not warrant action pursuant to subparagraph (1) of this paragraph, the responsible agency official will so inform the recipient and the complainant, if any, in writing.
(e) Intimidatory or retaliatory acts prohibited. No recipient or other person shall intimidate, threaten, coerce, or discriminate against any individual for the purpose of interfering with any right or privilege secured by section 601 of the Act or this part, or because he has made a complaint, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this part. The identity of complainants shall be kept confidential except to the extent necessary to carry out the purpose of this part, including the conduct of any investigation, hearing, or judicial proceeding arising thereunder.
§ 705.8   Procedure for effecting compliance.
(a) General. If there appears to be a failure or threatened failure to comply with this part and if the noncompliance or threatened noncompliance cannot be corrected by informal means, the responsible agency official may suspend or terminate, or refuse to grant or continue, Federal financial assistance, or use any other means authorized by law, to induce compliance with this part. Such other means include, but are not limited to, (1) a reference to the Department of Justice with a recommendation that appropriate proceedings be brought to enforce any rights of the United States under any law of the United States (including other titles of the Act), or any assurance or other contractual undertaking, and (2) any applicable proceeding under State or local law.
(b) Noncompliance with assurance requirement. If an applicant or recipient fails or refuses to furnish an assurance required under § 705.5 or fails or refuses to comply with the provisions of the assurance it has furnished, or otherwise fails or refuses to comply with any requirement imposed by or pursuant to Title VI or this part, Federal financial assistance may be suspended, terminated, or refused in accordance with the procedures of Title VI and this part. The Water Resources Council shall not be required to provide assistance in such a case during the pendency of administrative proceedings under this part, except that the Council will continue assistance during the pendency of such proceedings whenever such assistance is due and payable pursuant to a final commitment made or an application finally approved prior to the effective date of this part.
(c) Termination of or refusal to grant or to continue Federal financial assistance. No order suspending, terminating, or refusing to grant or continue Federal financial assistance shall become effective until:
(1) The responsible agency official has advised the applicant or recipient of his failure to comply and has determined that compliance cannot be secured by voluntary means;
(2) There has been an express finding on the record, after opportunity for hearing, of a failure by the applicant or recipient to comply with a requirement imposed by or pursuant to this part;
(3) The action has been approved by the Chairman of the Water Resources Council pursuant to § 705.10(e); and
(4) The expiration of 30 days after the responsible agency official has filed with the committee of the House and the committee of the Senate having legislative jurisdiction over the program involved, a full written report of the circumstances and the grounds for such action. Any action to suspend or terminate or to refuse to grant or to continue Federal financial assistance shall be limited to the particular political entity, or part thereof, or other applicant or recipient as to whom such a finding has been made and shall be limited in its effect to the particular program, or part thereof, in which such noncompliance has been so found.
(d) Other means authorized by law. No action to effect compliance with Title VI of the Act by any other means authorized by law shall be taken until:
(1) The responsible agency official has determined that compliance cannot be secured by voluntary means;
(2) The recipient or other person has been notified or its failure to comply and of the action to be taken to effect compliance; and
(3) The expiration of at least 10 days from the mailing of such notice to the recipient or other person. During this period of at least 10 days, additional efforts shall be made to persuade the recipient or other person to comply with the regulation and to take such corrective action as may be appropriate.
§ 705.9   Hearings.
(a) Opportunity for hearing. Whenever an opportunity for a hearing is required by § 705.8(c), reasonable notice shall be given by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the affected applicant or recipient. This notice shall advise the applicant or recipient of the action proposed to be taken, the specific provision under which the proposed action against it is to be taken, and the matters of fact or law asserted as the basis for this action, and either (1) fix a date not less than 20 days after the date of such notice within which the applicant or recipient may request of the responsible agency official that the matter be scheduled for heaing or (2) advise the applicant or recipient that the matter in question has been set down for hearing at a stated place and time. The time and place so fixed shall be reasonable and shall be subject to change for cause. The complainant, if any, shall be advised of the time and place of the hearing. An applicant or recipient may waive a hearing and submit written information and argument for the record. The failure of an applicant or recipient to request a hearing under this paragraph or to appear at a hearing for which a date has been set shall be deemed to be a waiver of the right to a hearing under section 602 of the Act and § 705.8(c) and consent to the making of a decision on the basis of such information as is available.
(b) Time and place of hearing. Hearings shall be held at the offices of the Water Resources Council in Washington, DC, at a time fixed by the responsible agency official unless it determines that the convenience of the applicant or recipient or of the Council requires that another place be selected. Hearings shall be held before the responsible agency official or at its discretion, before a hearing examiner appointed in accordance with section 3105 of Title 5, U.S.C., or detailed under section 3344 of Title 5, U.S.C.
(c) Right to counsel. In all proceedings under this section, the applicant or recipient and the Water Resources Council shall have the right to be represented by counsel.
(d) Procedures, evidence, and record. (1) The hearing, decision, and any administrative review thereof shall be conducted in conformity with the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 554-557) and with such other regulations that may be necessary or appropriate for the conduct of hearings pursuant to this part.
(2) Technical rules of evidence do not apply to hearings conducted pursuant to this part, but rules or principles designed to assure production of the most credible evidence available and to subject testimony to test by cross-examination shall be applied where reasonably necessary by the officer conducting the hearing. The hearing officer may exclude irrelevant, immaterial, or unduly repetitious evidence. All documents and other evidence offered or taken for the record shall be open to examination by the parties and opportunity shall be given to refute facts and arguments advanced on either side of the issues. A transcript shall be made of the oral evidence except to the extent the substance thereof is stipulated for the record. All decisions shall be based upon the hearing record and written findings shall be made.
(e) Consolidated or joint hearings. In cases in which the same or related facts are asserted to constitute noncompliance with this part with respect to two or more programs to which this part applies, or noncompliance with this part and the regulations of one or more other Federal departments or agencies issued under Title VI of the Act, the responsible agency official may, by agreement with such other departments or agencies, where applicable, provide for the conduct of consolidated or joint hearings, and for the application to such hearings of rules or procedures not inconsistent with this part. Final decisions in such cases, insofar as this regulation is concerned, shall be made in accordance with § 705.10.
§ 705.10   Decisions and notices.
(a) Procedure on decisions by hearing examiner. If the hearing is held by a hearing examiner, the hearing examiner shall either make an initial decision, if so authorized, or certify the entire record including his recommended findings and proposed decision to the responsible agency official for a final decision, and a copy of such initial decision or certification shall be mailed to the applicant or recipient. Where the initial decision is made by the hearing examiner, the applicant or recipient may, within 30 days after the mailing of such notice of initial decision, file with the responsible agency official his exceptions to the initial decision, with his reasons therefor. In the absence of exceptions, the responsible agency official may, on his own motion, within 45 days after the initial decison, serve on the applicant or recipient a notice that he will review the decision. Upon the filing of such exceptions or of notice of review, the responsible agency official shall review the initial decision and issue his own decision thereon including the reasons therefor. In the absence of either exceptions or a notice or review the initial decision shall, subject to paragraph (e) constitute the final decision of the responsible agency official.
(b) Decisions on record or review by the responsible agency official. Whenever a record is certified to the responsible agency official for decision or its reviews the decision of a hearing examiner pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section or whenever the responsible agency official conducts the hearing, the applicant or recipient shall be given reasonable opportunity to file with it briefs or other written statements of its contentions and a written copy of the final decision of the responsible agency official shall be sent to the applicant or recipient and to the complainant, if any.
(c) Decisions on record where a hearing is waived. Whenever a hearing is waived pursuant to § 705.9, a decision shall be made by the responsible agency official on the record and a written copy of such decision shall be sent to the applicant or recipient, and to the complainant, if any.
(d) Rulings required. Each decision of a hearing examiner or the responsible agency official shall set forth his or its ruling on each finding, conclusion, or exception presented, and shall identify the requirement or requirements imposed by or pursuant to this part with which it is found that the applicant or recipient has failed to comply.
(e) Approval by the Chairman. Any final decision by the responsible agency official provides for the suspension or termination of, or the refusal to grant or continue Federal financial assistance, or the imposition of any other sanction available under this part or the Act, shall promptly be transmitted to the Chairman of the Water Resources Council, who may approve such decision, may vacate it, or remit or mitigate any sanction imposed.
(f) Content of orders. The final decision may provide for suspension or termination of, or refusal to grant or continue Federal financial assistance, in whole or in part, under the program involved, and may contain such terms, conditions, and other provisions as are consistent with and will effectuate the purposes of the Act and this part, including provisions designed to assure that no Federal financial assistance will thereafter be extended under such programs to the applicant or recipient determined by such decision to be in default in its performance of an assurance given by it pursuant to this part, or to have otherwise failed to comply with this part, unless and until it corrects its noncompliance and satisfies the responsible agency official that it will fully comply with this part.
(g) Post termination proceedings. (1) An applicant or recipient adversely affected by an order issued under paragraph (f) shall be restored to full eligibility to receive Federal financial assistance if it satisfies the terms and conditions of that order for such eligibility or if it brings itself into compliance with this part and provides reasonable assurance that it will fully comply with this part.
(2) Any applicant or recipient adversely affected by an order entered pursuant to paragraph (f) of this section may at any time request the responsible agency official to restore fully its eligibility to receive Federal financial assistance. Any such request shall be supported by information showing that the applicant or recipient has met the requirements of paragraph (g)(1) of this section. If the responsible agency official determines that those requirements have been satisfied, he shall restore such eligibility.
(3) If the responsible agency official denies any such request, the applicant or recipient may submit a request for a hearing in writing, specifying why it believes the responsible agency official to have been in error. It shall thereupon be given an expeditious hearing, with a decision on the record. The applicant or recipient will be estored to such eligibility if it proves at such a hearing that it satisfied the requirements of paragraph (g)(1). While proceedings under this paragraph are pending, the sanctions imposed by the order issued under paragraph (f) of this section shall remain in effect.
§ 705.11   Judicial review.
Action taken pursuant to section 602 of the Act is subject to judicial review as provided in section 603 of the Act.
§ 705.12   Effect on other regulations.
(a) Nothing in this part shall be deemed to supersede any other order, regulation, or instruction which prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in any program or situation to which this part is inapplicable, or prohibit discrimination on any other ground.
(b) Forms and instructions. The responsible agency official shall issue and promptly make available to all interested persons forms and detailed instructions and procedures for effectuating this part as applied to programs to which this part applies and for which he is responsible.
(c) Supervision and coordination. The responsible agency official may from time to time assign to officials of other departments or agencies of the Government with the consent of such departments or agencies, responsibilities in connection with the effectuation of the purposes of Title VI of the Act and this part (other than responsibility for final decision as provided in § 705.10), including the achievement of effective coordination and maximum uniformity within the Water Resources Council and within the Executive Branch of the Government in the application of Title VI and this part to similar programs and in similar situations. Any action, taken, determination made, or requirements imposed by an official of another department or agency acting pursuant to an assignment of responsibility under this paragraph shall have the same effect as though such action had been taken by the responsible agency official.