No qualified handicapped person shall solely on the basis of handicap be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving EPA assistance.

(a) A recipient, in providing any aid, benefit or service under any program or activity receiving EPA assistance shall not, on the basis of handicap, directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangement:

(1) Deny a qualified handicapped person any service, aid or other benefit of a federally assisted program or activity;

(2) Provide different or separate aids, benefits, or services to handicapped persons or to any class of handicapped persons than is provided to others unless the action is necessary to provide qualified handicapped persons with aids, benefits, or services that are as effective as those provided to others;

(3) Aid or perpetuate discrimination against a qualified handicapped person by providing significant assistance to an entity that discriminates on the basis of handicap in providing aids, benefits, or services to beneficiaries of the recipient's program or activity;

(4) Deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to participate as a member of planning or advisory boards; or

(5) Limit a qualified handicapped person in any other way in the enjoyment of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by others receiving an aid, benefit or service from the program or activity.

(b) A recipient may not, in determining the site or location of a facility, make selections: (1) That have the effect of excluding handicapped persons from, denying them the benefits of, or otherwise subjecting them to discrimination under any program or activity that receives EPA assistance or (2) that have the purpose or effect of defeating or substantially impairing the accomplishment of the objectives of the program or activity receiving EPA assistance with respect to handicapped persons.

(c) A recipient shall not use criteria or methods of administering any program or activity receiving EPA assistance which have the effect of subjecting individuals to discrimination because of their handicap, or have the effect of defeating or substantially impairing accomplishment of the objectives of such program or activity with respect to handicapped persons.

(d) Recipients shall take appropriate steps to ensure that communications with their applicants, employees, and beneficiaries are available to persons with impaired vision and hearing.

(e) The exclusion of non-handicapped persons or specified classes of handicapped persons from aid, benefits, or services limited by Federal statute or Executive Order to handicapped persons or a different class of handicapped persons is not prohibited by this subpart.

Recipients shall not deny a qualified handicapped person an opportunity equal to that afforded others to participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service in the program or activity receiving EPA assistance. Recipients shall administer programs or activities in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified handicapped persons.

(a) No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, be subjected to discrimination in employment under any program or activity that receives Federal assistance.

(b) A recipient shall make all decisions concerning employment under any program or activity to which this part applies in a manner which ensures that discrimination on the basis of handicap does not occur, and shall not limit, segregate, or classify applicants or employees in any way that adversely affects their opportunities or status because of handicap.

(c) The prohibition against discrimination in employment applies to the following activities:

(1) Recruitment, advertising, and the processing of applications for employment;

(2) Hiring, upgrading, promotion, award of tenure, demotion, transfer, layoff, termination, right of return from layoff, and rehiring;

(3) Rates of pay or any other form of compensation and changes in compensation;

(4) Job assignments, job classifications, organizational structures, position descriptions, lines of progression, and seniority lists;

(5) Leaves of absence, sick leave, or any other leave;

(6) Fringe benefits available by virtue of employment, whether or not administered by the recipient;

(7) Selection and financial support for training, including apprenticeship, professional meetings, conferences, and other related activities, and selection for leaves of absence to pursue training;

(8) Employer sponsored activities, including those that are social or recreational; or

(9) Any other term, condition, or privilege of employment.

(d) A recipient shall not participate in a contractual or other relationship that has the effect of subjecting qualified handicapped applicants or employees to discrimination prohibited by this subpart. The relationships referred to in this paragraph include relationships with employment and referral agencies, with labor unions, with organizations providing or administering fringe benefits to employees of the recipient, and with organizations providing training and apprenticeships.

(e) A recipient shall make reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified handicapped applicant or employee unless the recipient can demonstrate that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of its program or activity.

(f) A recipient shall not use employment tests or criteria that discriminate against handicapped persons and shall ensure that employment tests are adapted for use by persons who have handicaps that impair sensory, manual, or speaking skills.

(g) A recipient shall not conduct a preemployment medical examination or make a preemployment inquiry as to whether an applicant is a handicapped person or as to the nature or severity of a handicap except as permitted by the Department of Justice in 28 CFR 42.513.

(a) General. A recipient shall operate each program or activity receiving EPA assistance so that when each part is viewed in its entirety it is readily accessible to and usable by handicapped persons. This paragraph does not:

(1) Necessarily require a recipient to make each of its existing facilities or every part of an existing facility accessible to and usable by handicapped persons.

(2) Require a recipient to take any action that the recipient can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of its program or activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens. If an action would result in such an alternation or such financial and administrative burdens, the recipient shall be required to take any other action that would not result in such an alteration or financial and administrative burdens but would nevertheless ensure that handicapped persons receive the benefits and services of the program or activity receiving EPA assistance.

(b) Methods of ensuring compliance in existing facilities. A recipient may comply with the accessibility requirements of this section by making structural changes, redesigning equipment, reassigning services to accessible buildings, assigning aides to beneficiaries, or any other means that make its program or activity accessible to handicapped persons. In choosing among alternatives, a recipient must give priority to methods that serve handicapped persons in the most integrated setting appropriate.

(c) Deadlines. (1) Except where structural changes in facilities are necessary, recipients must adhere to the provisions of this section within 60 days after the effective date of this part.

(2) Recipients having an existing facility which does require alterations in order to comply with paragraph (a) of this section must prepare a transition plan in accordance with § 7.75 within six months from the effective date of this part. The recipient must complete the changes as soon as possible, but not later than three years from date of award.

(d) Notice of accessibility. The recipient must make sure that interested persons, including those with impaired vision or hearing, can find out about the existence and location of the services, activities, and facilities that are accessible to and usable by handicapped persons.

(e) Structural and financial feasibility. This section does not require structural alterations to existing facilities if making such alterations would not be structurally or financially feasible. An alteration is not structurally feasible when it has little likelihood of being accomplished without removing or altering a load-bearing structural member. Financial feasibility shall take into account the degree to which the alteration work is to be assisted by EPA assistance, the cost limitations of the statute under which such assistance is provided, and the relative cost of accomplishing such alterations in manners consistent and inconsistent with accessibility.

(a) General. New facilities shall be designed and constructed to be readily accessible to and usable by handicapped persons. Alterations to existing facilities shall, to the maximum extent feasible, be designed and constructed to be readily accessible to and usable by handicapped persons.

(b) Conformance with Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards. (1) Effective as of January 18, 1991, design, construction, or alteration of buildings in conformance with sections 3-8 of the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (USAF) (appendix A to 41 CFR subpart 101-19.6) shall be deemed to comply with the requirements of this section with respect to those buildings. Departures from particular technical and scoping requirements of UFAS by the use of other methods are permitted where substantially equivalent or greater access to and usability of the building is provided.

(2) For purposes of this section, section 4.1.6(1)(g) of UFAS shall be interpreted to exempt from the requirements of UFAS only mechanical rooms and other spaces that, because of their intended use, will not require accessibility to the public or beneficiaries or result in the employment or residence therein of persons with physical handicaps.

(3) This section does not require recipients to make building alterations that have little likelihood of being accomplished without removing or altering a load-bearing structural member.

If structural changes to facilities are necessary to make the program or activity accessible to handicapped persons, a recipient must prepare a transition plan.

(a) Requirements. The transition plan must set forth the steps needed to complete the structural changes required and must be developed with the assistance of interested persons, including handicapped persons or organizations representing handicapped persons. At a minimum, the transition plan must:

(1) Identify the physical obstacles in the recipient's facilities that limit handicapped persons' access to its program or activity,

(2) Describe in detail what the recipient will do to make the facilities accessible,

(3) Specify the schedule for the steps needed to achieve full accessibility under § 7.65(a), and include a year-by-year timetable if the process will take more than one year,

(4) Indicate the person responsible for carrying out the plan.

(b) Availability. Recipients shall make available a copy of the transition plan to the OCR upon request and to the public for inspection at either the site of the project or at the recipient's main office.