[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 230 (Wednesday, November 27, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 60206]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30317]



[[Page 60206]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration

49 CFR Part 199

[Docket PS-150, Notice No. 6]


Control of Drug Use and Alcohol Misuse in Natural Gas, Liquefied 
Natural Gas, and Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Operations Alcohol Misuse 
Prevention Program

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of lower random drug testing rate.

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SUMMARY: RSPA has received and evaluated the 1995 Management 
Information System(MIS) Data Collection forms for the drug testing of 
pipeline industry personnel. The RSPA determined that the random 
positive drug testing rate for pipeline industry for the period of 
January 1, 1995, through December 31, 1995, was 0.8 percent. Since this 
is the second year that data has been collected and the random positive 
rate for the second year is less than 1 percent, the random testing 
rate for RSPA is being reduced from 50 percent to 25 percent for 
calendar year 1997. This means that for calendar year 1997, the 
operator must randomly select a minimum 25 percent of their covered 
employees to be tested.

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1997, through December 31, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catrina M. Pavlik, Office of Pipeline 
Safety, Compliance and State Programs, (DPS-23), Research and Special 
Programs Administration, 400 7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20590, 
telephone (202) 366-6199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In a final rule published on December 23, 
1993 (58 FR 68257), RSPA announced that it would require operators of 
gas, hazardous liquid and carbon dioxide pipelines and liquefied 
natural gas facilities, who are subject to 49 CFR parts 192, 193, and 
195, to implement, maintain, and submit an annual report on drug 
testing program data. Any operator with 51 or more covered employees 
must submit this information on an annual basis. Operators with 50 or 
fewer covered employees must maintain this information, and RSPA 
randomly selected 100 operators in this category to submit their data. 
The drug testing statistical data is essential for RSPA to analyze its 
current approach to deterring and detecting illegal drug abuse in the 
pipeline industry, and, as appropriate, to plan a more efficient and 
effective approach. The data collected in 1995 was the second year that 
the data was submitted. Now that RSPA has received two consecutive 
years of MIS Data Collection forms and the positive random testing rate 
has been less than 1 percent industry-wide, RSPA announces that in 
accordance with Sec. 199.11(c)(3) the minimum random drug testing rate 
is lowered to 25 percent of covered pipeline employees for the period 
of January 1, 1997, through December 31, 1997.
    MIS reports must be submitted to the Office of Pipeline Safety, 
Research and Special Programs Administration, DPS-23, Room 2335, 400 
7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20590, not later than March 15 of each 
calendar year. A notice of statistical data will be published in the 
future to report results of each calendar year's MIS Data Collection 
results. RSPA will also publish whether or not the random rate will be 
reduced or increased for the pipeline industry pursuant to Sec. 199.11.

    Issued in Washington, DC on November 21, 1996.
Richard B. Felder,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 96-30317 Filed 11-26-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P