Interior Department removes rule against policies that accidentally harm minority groups

The Interior Department changed its rules for programs that get federal money. It will no longer hold these programs responsible for policies that accidentally harm people based on race or origin. This means people challenging discrimination must now prove the harm was intentional, not just that it happened.

For decades, federal agencies could hold recipients of federal funds accountable if their policies, even if well-intentioned, disproportionately harmed minority groups. This rule change means the Interior Department will only act if it can prove the harm was deliberate. It becomes much harder for communities to challenge policies that affect their access to resources like water, land, or parks if they cannot prove intent.