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Transportation Title VI Program Plan
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INFORMATION CONTACT:
Theresa Torres, Human Services Agency Transportation Division Director, 704-283-3598
ACTION REQUESTED:
1) Adopt the Union County Transportation Title VI Plan as presented and 2) authorize the County Manager to execute the Plan.
PRIOR BOARD ACTIONS:
None.
BACKGROUND:
Title VI is the federal law that protects individuals and groups from discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in all programs, services, and activities of a Federal-aid recipient. The law specifically states: “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 be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” (Title VI, the statute, is codified at 42 U.S.C. 2000d) The intent of the Program is to remove barriers and conditions that prevent minority, low-income, LEP, and other disadvantaged persons from accessing, participating in, and benefiting from programs and activities of Federal-aid recipients.
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR), External Civil Rights (ECR) is the focal point for the implementation of the Department’s Title VI Nondiscrimination Program. ECR is required to monitor and coordinate with business units to effectively implement Title VI requirements and is responsible for determining if the Department’s subrecipients are in compliance with Title VI. Subrecipients may include transit systems, metropolitan and rural planning organizations (MPOs and RPOs), local government agencies (LGAs), airport sponsors, universities, contractors, and other entities receiving funds through the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) or the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
The Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 clarified the original intent of Title VI and restored the broad, institution-wide scope and coverage of the statute to include all programs and activities of an agency that receives Federal financial assistance, whether such programs and activities are federally funded or not. All of NCDOT, including any public transportation system that receives federal funds through NCDOT or directly from the FTA, must have a Title VI plan that addresses the requirements of FTA Circular 4702.1B and comply with Title VI regulations.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
None.