USDA Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs (Title VI)

Current understanding

USDA is rescinding portions of its Title VI regulations to eliminate disparate-impact liability, conforming its rules to DOJ’s Title VI regulations and Executive Order 14281. The change narrows the legal theories available to challenge USDA-funded programs (including agricultural, rural energy, conservation, and water infrastructure assistance) to intentional discrimination only. Practical effects on environmental-justice complaints tied to USDA-assisted projects remain to be seen as the rule takes effect.

Evidence log

• 2026-06-17 — Rescinding Portions of U.S. Department of Agriculture Title VI Regulations To Conform More Closely With the Department of Justice’s Regulations To Implement Executive Order 14281: cross-connection with doe-nondiscrimination-federally-assisted-programs: Both are agency-level conforming amendments to Title VI regulations under EO 14281, eliminating disparate-impact liability across federally assisted programs. (novelty: 3)

Open questions

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