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Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency
On August 11, 2000, President Clinton signed Executive Order 13166 (PDF) (3 pp, 248K, About PDF) entitled, "Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency." The Executive Order requires Federal agencies to examine the services they provide, identify any need for services to those with limited English proficiency (LEP), and develop and implement a system to provide those services so LEP persons can have meaningful access to them. The Executive Order also requires that the Federal agencies work to ensure that recipients of Federal financial assistance provide meaningful access to their LEP applicants and beneficiaries.
On August 16, 2000, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a policy guidance document to help Federal agencies carry out these responsibilities. The DOJ document is entitled "Enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 - National Origin Discrimination Against Persons with Limited English Proficiency." On June 18, 2002, DOJ issued a policy guidance document for recipients entitled "Department of Justice Final Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons." Spanish and Chinese versions of Executive Order 13166 and the DOJ policy guidance can be found on DOJ's Web site.
In compliance with Executive Order 13166 and DOJ's policy guidance, EPA is charged with: (1) drafting Title VI guidance to set forth a general outline for EPA financial assistance recipients to apply in developing guidelines to provide meaningful access to LEP persons who participate in their programs and activities; and (2) drafting and implementing an internal Agency LEP plan by which LEP persons can have meaningful access to EPA programs. On June 25, 2004 the EPA Office of Civil Rights issued a Policy Guidance Document entitled, "Guidance to Environmental Protection Agency Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons" for public comment. Since no comments were received, EPA's LEP Recipient Guidance is now final. EPA is currently developing its draft internal LEP plan.
Guidance and Materials for EPA Recipients
- Executive Order 13166, "Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency".
- "Guidance to Environmental Protection Agency Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons (PDF)" (12 pp, 101K, About PDF) as published in the Federal Register on June 25, 2004.
- Clearinghouse website providing guidance and linking to information, tools, and technical assistance regarding limited English proficiency and language access for federal agencies, recipients of federal funds, users of federal programs and federally assisted programs, and others.