Title VI / Non-Discrimination

Nondiscrimination Policy

The Orange County Transportation Council (OCTC) assures that no person shall on the grounds of race, color, sex, age, disability or national origin, as provided by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 (P.L. 100.259) be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity. OCTC further assures every effort will be made to ensure nondiscrimination in all of its programs and activities, whether those programs and activities are federally funded or not.  In the event that OCTC distributes federal aid funds to another entity, it will include Title VI language in all written agreements and will monitor for compliance.

Complaint Procedures

Individuals or organizations who believe they have been denied the benefits of, excluded from participation in, or subject to discrimination on the grounds of race, color, or national origin can file an administrative complaint with the OCTC under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and send to the above address.  If desired, individuals and organizations may file a complaint by completing the attached Title VI complaint form or a copy of the form is available on-line at www.OrangeCountyGov.com/OCTC.  Complaints should be signed and include contact information.

For help accessing the complaint form, please contact the OCTC Staff at the Orange County Department of Planning at 845-615-3840.

Title VI Resources

Below, please find in PDF form, the Title VI Plan and Policy Statement, as well as the Title VI Complaint Procedures and Forms, which are available in both English and Spanish. These documents detail the process and procedure for submitting a complaint.

Documents:

En Español:

FHWA Complaint Procedure

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has jurisdiction to investigate complaints of discrimination filed under:

  • The Americans with Disabilities Act/ Section 504 Program
    • The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
    • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504)
  • The Title VI Program
    • Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI)

If you believe that you have been discriminated against, you may file a complaint under the programs listed above. To file a complaint please choose which program best fits your situation and submit the following information:

  • A written explanation of what has happened;
  • Your contact information, (e.g., email address)
  • The basis of the complaint, (e.g., race, color, national origin, disability)
  • The identification of the agency alleged to have discriminated;
  • The date(s) of the alleged discriminatory act and location.

If you would like to file your complaint via US Mail, you may contact the FHWA Office of Civil Rights at 202-366-0693 or via email at: FHWA.TitleVIcomplaints@dot.gov or FHWA.ADAcomplaints@dot.gov

For more information visit the FHWA website: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/civilrights/file/

Limited English Proficiency (LEP)

On August 11, 2000, President William J. (Bill) Clinton signed Executive Order 13166, "Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency.” Its purpose is to improve access to federally conducted and federally assisted programs and activities for persons who, as a result of national origin, are limited in their English proficiency. 

Consistent with Executive Order 13166 and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) guidance, the Orange County Department of Planning, on behalf of Transit Orange and OCTC, has a Limited English Proficiency Plan in order to ensure meaningful input opportunities for persons with limited English proficiency and to establish a process to evaluate OCTC’s practices to ensure meaningful access to programs and activities by LEP persons.

Meeting Information - Language Assistance

General OCTC meeting announcements are presently only in English. Special planning initiatives in areas with large LEP populations may be made available in languages other than English, such as for the various public meetings held for the Long Range Transportation Plan.  All OCTC meetings are held at ADA compliant facilities.  Please contact OCTC Staff if you need assistance in attending meetings or accessing meeting information or materials.

Environmental Justice

Executive Order 12898 of 1994, Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations, looks to identify and address “disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects” on low-income and minority populations.  Executive Order 12898 evokes similar principles of the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In support of Executive Order 12898, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued an Order on Environmental Justice (USDOT Order 5610.2) in 1997, followed by a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Order on Environmental Justice (FHWA Order 6640.23) in 1998.  The Federal Highway Administration order requires the incorporation of Environmental Justice principles in all FHWA programs, policies, and activities.  As a federally funded agency, the OCTC is required to be in compliance with both of these federal regulations.  

There are three core Environmental Justice principles:

  • Avoid, minimize, or mitigate disproportionately high and adverse human health and environmental effects, including social and economic effects, on minority and low-income populations
  • Ensure full and fair participation of all potentially affected communities in the transportation decision-making process
  • Prevent the denial of, reduction in, or significant delay in the receipt of benefits by minority and low-income populations

For more information on how OCTC incorporates Nondiscrimination policies such as Title VI, LEP, and Environmental Justice regulations into the transportation programming and planning processes, please contact OCTC Staff.