(a) Departmental regulations. All funded under this subpart are subject to the provisions of the Departmental Regulations, as applicable, which are incorporated by reference herein.
(b) Equal opportunity and nondiscrimination. The Agency will ensure that equal opportunity and nondiscrimination requirements are met in accordance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C. 1691 et seq. and 7 CFR part 15d, “Nondiscrimination in Programs and Activities Conducted by the United State Department of Agriculture.” The Agency will not discriminate against applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, or age (provided that the applicant has the capacity to contract); because all or part of the applicant's income derives from any public assistance program; or because the applicant has in good faith exercised any right under the Consumer Credit Protection Act, 15 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.
(c) Civil rights compliance. Recipients of grants must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq., Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq., and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 794. This may include collection and maintenance of data on the race, sex, and national origin of the recipient's membership/ownership and employees. The data must be available to conduct compliance reviews.
(1) Initial compliance reviews will be conducted by the Agency prior to funds being obligated.
(2) Grants will require one subsequent compliance review following Project completion. This will occur prior to the last disbursement of grant funds.
(d) Environmental requirements. Actions taken under this subpart must comply with 7 CFR part 1970. Prospective applicants are advised to contact the Agency to determine environmental requirements as soon as practicable after they decide to pursue any form of financial assistance directly or indirectly available through the Agency.
(1) Any required environmental review must be completed by the Agency prior to the Agency obligating any funds.
(2) The applicant will be notified of all specific compliance requirements, including, but not limited to, the publication of public notices, and consultation with State Historic Preservation Offices (or Tribal Historic Preservation Offices where appropriate) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
(3) A site visit by the Agency may be scheduled, if necessary, to determine the scope of the review.
(4) Applications for Technical Assistance or Planning Projects are generally excluded from the environmental review process by 7 CFR 1970.53 provided the assistance is not related to the development of a specific site. However, as further specified in 7 CFR 1970.53, the grantee for a Technical Assistance grant, in the process of providing Technical Assistance, must consider the potential environmental impacts of the recommendations provided to the recipient of the Technical Assistance as requested by the Agency and in accordance with 7 CFR part 1970.
(5) Applicants for grant funds must consider and document within their plans the important environmental factors within the Planning area and the potential environmental impacts of the plan on the Planning area, as well as the alternative Planning strategies that were reviewed.
(6) Whenever an applicant files an application that includes a direct construction Project and a plan, they must have a separate environmental evaluation.
(e) Discrimination complaints -
(1) Who may file. Persons or a specific class of persons believing they have been subjected to discrimination prohibited by this section may file a complaint personally, or by an authorized representative with USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250.
(2) Time for filing. A complaint must be filed no later than 180 days from the date of the alleged discrimination, unless the time for filing is extended by the designated officials of USDA or the Agency.
(f) Uniform Relocation and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act. All Projects must comply with the requirements set forth in 7 CFR part 21.
(g) Floodplains and wetlands. All Projects must comply with Executive Order 11988 “Floodplain Management” and Executive Order 11990 “Protection of Wetlands.” The applicable regulations are codified at 44 CFR parts 59 through 80.
[80 FR 15667, Mar. 25, 2015, as amended at 81 FR 11052, Mar. 2, 2016]