Title VI Plan

Federal Title VI Policy

Section 601 of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states the following:

 "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."

The Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 clarified the broad, institution-wide application of Title VI. Title VI covers all of the operations of covered entities without regard to whether specific portions of the covered program or activity are Federally funded. The term “program or activity” means all of the operations of a department, agency, special purpose district, or government; or the entity of such State or local government that distributes such assistance and each such department or agency to which the assistance is extended, in the case of assistance to a State or local government.

The U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) Title VI regulations can be found at 28 CFR § 42.401 et seq., and 28 CFR § 50.3. The U.S. Department of Transportation (“DOT”) Title VI implementing regulations can be found at 49 CFR part 21. Federal Title VI Overview

 

Metro COG adopted its first Title VI Non-Discrimination Program in 2012. MPOs are required to update their Title VI program every three years.

---

Metro COG Title VI/Non-Discrimination and ADA Policy Statement

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin. Specifically, 42 USC 2000d states 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 be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

In addition to Title VI, there are other Nondiscrimination statutes, which include:

• Section 162(a) of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1973 (23 USC 324) (sex);
• Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (age), and
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973/ADA of 1990 (disability).

Taken together, these requirements define an over-arching Title VI / Nondiscrimination and ADA Program. Title VI and the additional Nondiscrimination requirements are applicable to programs receiving federal financial assistance due to the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987.

Two Presidential Executive Orders place further emphasis upon the Title VI protections of race and national origin.  Executive Order 12898 ensures nondiscrimination against minority populations by discouraging programs, policies, and activities with disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects on minority and low-income populations. Executive Order 13166 directs recipients of Federal financial assistance that to ensure compliance with Title VI, they must take reasonable steps to ensure that limited English proficiency persons have meaningful access to their programs.

I, as Chair of the Policy Board of the Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Council of Governments (Metro COG), am personally committed to and support taking all steps to ensure that no person or groups of persons shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, limited English proficiency, or income status, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any and all programs, services, or activities administered by Metro COG, its recipients, sub recipients, and contractors.

The Executive Director, Ben Griffith, of Metro COG is the appointed Title VI Coordinator and ADA Coordinator. Thus, he/she/they is granted the authority to develop, administer, and monitor the Title VI / Nondiscrimination and ADA Program as is adopted.

Anyone who believes that he/she/they has been discriminated against should contact the Executive Director, Title VI Coordinator and ADA Coordinator via mail, phone, or email.

Metro COG’s address is 1 – 2^nd Street North, Suite 232, Fargo, ND 58102

Metro COG’s phone number is 701-532-5100. TTY users may call Relay North Dakota at 711 or  1‑800-366-6888 (toll free).

 

Metro COG will make a good faith effort to accomodate requests for translation services for meeting preceedings and related materials. Please contact the Metro COG Office Manager at 501.532.5100 at least five days in advance of the meeting if any special accomodations are required for any member of the public to be able to participate in a meeting.

 

It is Metro COG's policy to inform residents with LEP of the right to free language assistance and interpreter services at no cost to them.

 

Metro COG's Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Plan

Metro COG’s Commitment to

Nondiscrimination and Title VI Assurances

Metro COG’s commitment to the Title VI program assures that no person or groups(s) of persons shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability/handicap, and income status, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any and all programs, services, or activities administered by the Agency, regardless of whether those programs and activities are federally funded or not. Metro COG also assures that every effort will be made to prevent discrimination through the impacts of its programs, policies, and activities on minority and low‐income populations. In addition, Metro COG will provide meaningful access to services for persons with Limited English Proficiency.