
[Federal Register: November 28, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 230)]
[Notices]               
[Page 72496]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28no08-97]                         

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2008-1059]

 
Random Drug Testing Rate for Covered Crewmembers

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of minimum random drug testing rate.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard has set the calendar year 2009 minimum random 
drug testing rate at 50 percent of covered crewmembers.

DATES: The minimum random drug testing rate is effective January 1, 
2009, through December 31, 2009. Marine employers must submit their 
2008 Management Information System (MIS) reports no later than March 
15, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Annual MIS reports may be submitted to Commandant (CG-545), 
U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second Street, SW., Room 2404, 
Washington, DC 20593-0001 or by electronic submission to the following 
Internet address: http://homeport.uscg.mil/Drugtestreports.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about this notice, 
please contact Mr. Robert C. Schoening, Drug and Alcohol Program 
Manager, Office of Investigations and Casualty Analysis (CG-545), U.S. 
Coast Guard Headquarters, telephone 202-372-1033. If you have questions 
on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Renee V. Wright, 
Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under 46 CFR 16.230, the Coast Guard 
requires marine employers to establish random drug testing programs for 
covered crewmembers on inspected and uninspected vessels.
    Every marine employer is required by 46 CFR 16.500 to collect and 
maintain a record of drug testing program data for each calendar year, 
and submit this data by 15 March of the following year to the Coast 
Guard in an annual MIS report. Marine employers may either submit their 
own MIS reports or have a consortium or other employer representative 
submit the data in a consolidated MIS report.
    The purpose of setting a minimum random drug testing rate is to 
assist the Coast Guard in analyzing its current approach for deterring 
and detecting illegal drug abuse in the maritime industry. The testing 
rate for calendar year 2009 is 50 percent.
    The Coast Guard may lower this rate if, for two consecutive years, 
the drug test positive rate is less than 1.0 percent, in accordance 
with 46 CFR 16.230(f)(2).
    Since 2007 MIS data indicates that the positive rate is greater 
than one percent industry-wide (1.33 percent), the Coast Guard 
announces that the minimum random drug testing rate will continue at 50 
percent of covered employees for the period of January 1, 2009, through 
December 31, 2009, in accordance with 46 CFR 16.230(e).
    Each year, the Coast Guard will publish a notice reporting the 
results of random drug testing for the previous calendar year's MIS 
data and the minimum annual percentage rate for random drug testing for 
the next calendar year.

    Dated: November 14, 2008.
Francis J. Sturm,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Deputy Director of Prevention Policy.
[FR Doc. E8-28133 Filed 11-26-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-15-P
