[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 240 (Thursday, December 15, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74422-74423]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-24066]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[Docket Number FTA-2005-23227]


Notice of Revision of Title VI Circular and EEO Circular

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is revising and 
updating its Circulars 4702.1, ``Title VI Program Guidelines for Urban 
Mass Transit Administration Recipients'' and 4704.1 ``Equal Employment 
Opportunity Program Guidelines for Grant Recipients.'' FTA is seeking 
input from interested parties on this document, including examples of 
problems with compliance, best practices for compliance, and proposals 
for changes to these circulars. Upon consideration of the comments, FTA 
will issue revised circulars and will seek additional comments on the 
revised documents.

DATES: Comments must be received by January 17, 2006. Late filed 
comments will be considered to the extent practicable. FTA will publish 
a second notice in the Federal Register summarizing all comments 
received regarding this notice.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments [identified by DOT DMS Docket Number 
FTA-2005-23227] by any of the following methods:
    Web site: http://dms.dot.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments on the DOT electronic docket site.
    Fax: 202-493-2251.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400

[[Page 74423]]

Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, PL-401, Washington, DC 20590-
0001.
    Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the Nassif 
Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Instructions: You must include the agency name (Federal Transit 
Administration) and the docket number (FTA-2005-23227). You should 
submit two copies of your comments if you submit them by mail. If you 
wish to receive confirmation that FTA received your comments, you must 
include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Note that all comments 
received will be posted without change to the Department's Docket 
Management System (DMS) Web site located at http://dms.dot.gov. This 
means that if your comment includes any personal identifying 
information, such information will be made available to users of DMS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For the Title VI Circular, David 
Schneider, Office of Civil Rights, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, 
DC 20590, (202) 366-4018 or at [email protected];. For the 
EEO Circular, Sandra McCrea, Office of Civil Rights, 400 7th Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20590, (202) 366-4018 or at 
[email protected]. For legal questions, Linda Lasley, Assistant 
Chief Counsel, Federal Transit Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Room 9316, Washington, DC 20590, (202) 366-4011 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background

    Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination 
on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs and 
activities receiving Federal financial assistance. Specifically, Title 
VI provides 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.'' (42 
U.S.C. 200d). Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 
790) states: ``No qualified handicapped person shall, solely by reason 
of his handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the 
benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or 
activity that receives or benefits from Federal financial assistance.'' 
Additionally, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6101) 
states that ``no person in the United States shall, on the basis of 
age, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or 
be subjected to discrimination under, any program or activity receiving 
Federal financial assistance.'' 23 U.S.C. 324 provides a similar 
prohibition on the basis of sex: ``No person shall on the ground of sex 
be excluded from participating in, be denied the benefits of, or be 
subjected to discrimination under, any program or activity receiving 
Federal financial assistance under this title or carried on under this 
title.''
    FTA Circulars 4702.1, ``Title VI Program Requirements for Urban 
Mass Transit Administration Recipients'' and 4704.1 ``Equal Employment 
Opportunity Program Guidelines for Grant Recipients'' provide 
information on how FTA will enforce Title VI and EEO requirements. Both 
circulars include information, guidance, and instructions on the 
objectives of the FTA Title VI and EEO programs; information on 
specific grant programs covered by the FTA Title VI and EEO programs; a 
description of the FTA data collection and reporting requirements; a 
summary of the FTA compliance review for Title VI and EEO certification 
procedures; a description of the FTA process for implementing remedial 
and enforcement actions; information on the DOT complaint process; and 
public information requirements.
    Circulars 4702.1 and 4704.1 were last updated in May and July 1988, 
respectively. FTA is establishing a docket to receive public comment on 
these circulars. FTA intends to revise these circulars to incorporate 
existing practices, lessons learned, and reflect current Department 
policies and guidance relating to Title VI and EEO. Comments received 
will be summarized in another Federal Register notice.
    In addition, FTA will solicit additional public comment on 
revisions to these circulars made as a result of public comment.


    Issued in Washington, DC this 9th day of December 2005.
Michael Winter,
Director, FTA Office of Civil Rights.
[FR Doc. 05-24066 Filed 12-14-05; 8:45 am]
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