[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 15 (Wednesday, January 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4855-4856]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01236]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2009-0973]


Random Drug Testing Rate for Covered Crewmembers

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of minimum random drug testing rate.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard has set the calendar year 2013 minimum random 
drug testing rate at 25 percent of covered crewmembers. The Coast Guard 
will continue to closely monitor drug test reporting to ensure the 
quality of the information. The Coast Guard may set the rate back up to 
50 percent of covered crewmembers if the positive rate for random drug 
tests is greater than 1 percent for any one year, or if the quality of 
data is not sufficient to accurately assess the positive rate.

DATES: The minimum random drug testing rate is effective January 1, 
2013, through December 31, 2013. Marine employers must submit their 
2013 Management Information System (MIS) reports no later than March 
15, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Annual MIS reports may be submitted by mail to Commandant 
(CG-INV), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second Street SW., STOP 
7561, Washington, DC 20593-7581 or by electronic submission to the 
following Internet address: http://homeport.uscg.mil/Drugtestreports.
    The docket for this notice is available for inspection or copying 
at the Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. You may also find this 
docket on the Internet by going to http://www.regulations.gov, 
inserting USCG-2009-0973 in the ``Search'' box, and then clicking 
``Search.''

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-INV), U.S. 
Coast Guard Headquarters, telephone 202-372-1033. If you have questions 
on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Barbara Hairston, 
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. 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 March 15 of the following year to 
the Coast Guard in an annual Management Information System (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.

[[Page 4856]]

    The Coast Guard annually sets the minimum drug testing rate for the 
coming year. 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, 
and to encourage employers to maintain a drug-free workplace with the 
incentive of a reduced testing rate (and associated reduced costs). In 
every year of testing through 2012, the random testing rate has been 50 
percent. In accordance with 46 CFR 16.230(f)(2), the Commandant may 
lower this rate to 25 percent if, for 2 consecutive years, the positive 
drug test rate is less than 1 percent.
    MIS data indicates that the positive rate for random drug tests was 
0.77 percent in 2011 and 0.74 percent in 2010. The Commandant is 
exercising his discretion to reduce the required random drug testing 
rate for calendar year 2013 to 25 percent of covered crewmembers. The 
Commandant may reset the rate to 50 percent of covered crewmembers if 
the positive rate for random drug tests is greater than 1 percent for 
any one year, or if the quality of data is not sufficient to accurately 
assess the positive rate.
    The Coast Guard commends marine employers and mariners for their 
efforts to create a drug-free workplace and encourages marine employers 
and drug testing service providers to continue to submit accurate, 
complete and timely MIS data.
    This notice is issued under authority of 46 CFR 16.230(f), which 
requires the Coast Guard to publish 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, and 
5 U.S.C. 552(a).

    Dated: January 4, 2013.
Paul F. Thomas,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Director of Inspections and Compliance (CG-
5PC).
[FR Doc. 2013-01236 Filed 1-22-13; 8:45 am]
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