A report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Inspector General calls out state environmental agencies for a lack of civil rights enforecement and makes recommendations for resolving shortcomings.

A new report from the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Inspector General scrutinized the agency's enforcement of Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and found that the majority of state environmental agencies fail to prevent discrimination, and "the EPA is not fulfilling its obligation to get them in line," reports Naveena Sadasivam.
According to the inspector general's report, 43 state agencies failed to meet at least one of the criteria set forth by the EPA to avert discrimination. "The checklist requires, in part, that funding recipients post nondiscrimination notices in prominent locations in the office, that they provide language assistance services for those with limited proficiency in English, and that they hire a nondiscrimination coordinator," Sadasivam says.
The EPA investigated complaints to be filed as a catalyst to investigate compliance with the nondiscrimination rules rather than proactively confirming that states were adhering to the nondiscrimination criteria checklist.
Last week’s report is hardly the first time that the EPA has come under fire for accepting few civil rights complaints for investigation, spending years — and sometimes decades — resolving them, and almost never making findings of discrimination," writes Sadasivam, noting a 2015 investigation by Center for Public Integrity finding that the EPA dismissed 95% of submitted complaints.
The inspector general's report makes six recommendations to remedy these instances of neglect.
FULL STORY: Report: Environmental agencies are violating civil rights laws — and the EPA is letting them

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.

The Subversive Car-Free Guide to Trump's Great American Road Trip
Car-free ways to access Chicagoland’s best tourist attractions.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont