Filing a Discrimination Complaint Against a Recipient of EPA Funds

Pursuant to a permanent injunction issued by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana on August 22, 2024, EPA will not impose or enforce any disparate-impact or cumulative-impact-analysis requirements under Title VI against any entity in the State of Louisiana. Click here for additional and updated information.

Anyone who believes that an entity that receives financial assistance from EPA has discriminated against someone on the basis of race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency), sex, disability or age; or has engaged in intimidation or retaliation prohibited by EPA's nondiscrimination regulation, may file a complaint. The person or organization filing the complaint need not be a victim of the alleged discrimination but may complain on behalf of another person or group.

• What must a complaint include?
• Where do I send my complaint?
• What Civil Rights laws does EPA's Office of External Civil Rights Enforce?

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What Must a Complaint Include?

• The complaint must be in writing, clearly identify who the sender is, include his or her signature, and must provide EPA with the sender’s contact information. We also suggest including a phone number and/or an email address for contact.
• The complaint should identify the entity which allegedly committed the discrimination. Please note that EPA can only investigate complaints filed against an entity which receives financial assistance from EPA.
• The complaint must allege discrimination prohibited by one of the laws EPA enforces. Describe with as much detail as possible why you feel the entity discriminated against you or others on the basis of race, color, or national origin (including limited-English proficiency); sex; disability; or age; or has engaged in intimidation or retaliation prohibited by EPA's nondiscrimination regulation.
• The complaint must be filed within 180 calendar days of the date of the last act of alleged discrimination. EPA may consider extending the 180-day time-frame for filing, for good cause shown, under certain circumstances.
• For additional information regarding  complaint processing procedures, please see the Case Resolution Manual (pdf)

Where Do I Send my Complaint?

Mail information to:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of External Civil Rights Compliance
Mail Code 2310A
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460

Email information to:
Title_VI_Complaints@epa.gov

For any other inquiries, please write to EPA's Office of External Civil Rights Compliance at the above address or call (202) 564-3316.

What Civil Rights laws does EPA's Office of External Civil Rights Compliance Enforce?

• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (pdf), which prohibits recipients of federal financial assistance from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin (including limited-English proficiency) in their programs or activities.
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits recipients of federal financial assistance from discriminating against persons with disabilities in their programs or activities. 
• Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally-assisted education programs or activities (also see 40 C.F.R. Part 5 - Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance (PDF) ;
• Age Discrimination Act of 1975, which prohibits recipients of federal financial assistance from discriminating against persons on the basis of age in their programs or activities.

EPA's Office of External Civil Rights Compliance also enforces Section 13 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination based on sex in programs or activities receiving financial assistance from EPA under the Clean Water Act.