The following definitions shall apply for the purpose of this part:

Affirmative action. A good faith effort to eliminate past and present discrimination in all federally assisted programs, and to ensure future nondiscriminatory practices.

Beneficiary. Any person or group of persons (other than States) entitled to receive benefits, directly or indirectly, from any federally assisted program, i.e., relocatees, impacted citizens, communities, etc.

Citizen participation. An open process in which the rights of the community to be informed, to provide comments to the Government and to receive a response from the Government are met through a full opportunity to be involved and to express needs and goals.

Compliance. That satisfactory condition existing when a recipient has effectively implemented all of the Title VI requirements or can demonstrate that every good faith effort toward achieving this end has been made.

Deficiency status. The interim period during which the recipient State has been notified of deficiencies, has not voluntarily complied with Title VI Program guidelines, but has not been declared in noncompliance by the Secretary of Transportation.

Discrimination. That act (or action) whether intentional or unintentional, through which a person in the United States, solely because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, has been otherwise subjected to unequal treatment under any program or activity receiving financial assistance from the Federal Highway Administration under title 23 U.S.C.

Facility. Includes all, or any part of, structures, equipment or other real or personal property, or interests therein, and the provision of facilities includes the construction, expansion, renovation, remodeling, alternation or acquisition of facilities.

Federal assistance. Includes:

Grants and loans of Federal funds,

The grant or donation of Federal property and interests in property,

The detail of Federal personnel,

The sale and lease of, and the permission to use (on other than a casual or transient basis), Federal property or any interest in such property without consideration or at a nominal consideration, or at a consideration which is reduced for the purpose of assisting the recipient, or in recognition of the public interest to be served by such sale or lease to the recipient, and

Any Federal agreement, arrangement, or other contract which has, as one of its purposes, the provision of assistance.

Noncompliance. A recipient has failed to meet prescribed requirements and has shown an apparent lack of good faith effort in implementing all of the Title VI requirements.

Persons. Where designation of persons by race, color, or national origin is required, the following designations ordinarily may be used: “White not of Hispanic origin”, “Black not of Hispanic origin”, “Hispanic”, “Asian or Pacific Islander”, “American Indian or Alaskan Native.” Additional subcategories based on national origin or primary language spoken may be used, where appropriate, on either a national or a regional basis.

Program. Includes any highway, project, or activity for the provision of services, financial aid, or other benefits to individuals. This includes education or training, work opportunities, health, welfare, rehabilitation, housing, or other services, whether provided directly by the recipient of Federal financial assistance or provided by others through contracts or other arrangements with the recipient.

State highway agency. That department, commission, board, or official of any State charged by its laws with the responsibility for highway construction. The term State would be considered equivalent to State highway agency if the context so implies.

Program area officials. The officials in FHWA who are responsible for carrying out technical program responsibilities.

Recipient. Any State, territory, possession, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any political subdivision, or instrumentality thereof, or any public or private agency, institution, or organization, or other entity, or any individual, in any State, territory, possession, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico, to whom Federal assistance is extended, either directly or through another recipient, for any program. Recipient includes any successor, assignee, or transferee thereof. The term recipient does not include any ultimate beneficiary under any such program.

Secretary. The Secretary of Transportation as set forth in 49 CFR 21.17(g)(3) or the Federal Highway Administrator to whom the Secretary has delegated his authority in specific cases.

Title VI Program. The system of requirements developed to implement Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. References in this part to Title VI requirements and regulations shall not be limited to only Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Where appropriate, this term also refers to the civil rights provisions of other Federal statutes to the extent that they prohibit discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex, or national origin in programs receiving Federal financial assistance of the type subject to Title VI itself. These Federal statutes are:

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d-d4 (49 CFR part 21; the standard DOT Title VI assurances signed by each State pursuant to DOT Order 1050.2; Executive Order 11764; 28 CFR 50.3);

Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 4601-4655) (49 CFR part 25; Pub. L. 91-646);

Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, amended 1974 (42 U.S.C. 3601-3619);

23 U.S.C. 109(h);

23 U.S.C. 324;

Subsequent Federal-Aid Highway Acts and related statutes.