[Federal Register: January 24, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 16)]
[Rules and Regulations]               
[Page 7590-7591]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24ja01-9]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

49 CFR Part 40

[Docket OST-99-6578]
RIN 2105-AC49

 
Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing 
Programs

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings on implementation of final rule.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is scheduling two 
one-day public meetings to provide interested parties a detailed 
overview of the Department's revised drug and alcohol testing 
procedures, published in the Federal Register on December 19, 2000 (65 
FR 79462). The meetings are scheduled approximately 60 days after the 
publication of the rule to provide the public time to read and review 
the document. The intent of the meetings is to provide the 
transportation industry and other interested parties a more in depth 
overview of the changes in the new rule and to clarify to the attendees 
issues, which they may raise at the meetings.

DATES: The public meetings will be held on February 21 and 22, 2001, at 
9:00 am-5:30 pm on both days.

ADDRESSES: The public meetings will be held at the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA) Auditorium, 3rd Floor Center, 800 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591. Meeting format and registration 
procedures are specified under supplementary information below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general meeting information and to 
register for one of the meetings, contact Minnie McDonald or Don 
Shatinsky at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Office of 
Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance, 400, 7th Street, SW., Room 
10304, Washington, DC 20590, (202) 366-3784, fax (202) 399-3897, e-
mail: minnie.mcdonald@ost.dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

    The purpose of the meetings is to provide all segments of the 
transportation industry and the general public with a section-by-
section overview of the drug and alcohol testing procedures required by 
the new rule. Some of the major changes in the rule will be addressed 
in detail. All information will be provided in presentation-style 
format by staff members from the DOT's Office of Drug and Alcohol 
Policy and Compliance and the Office of General Counsel. The 
presentations, however, are not to be construed as a training session 
meeting any of the training requirements required by the rule for 
various service agents.

B. Procedural Matters

    The meetings are scheduled in Washington, DC at the FAA auditorium 
located at 800 Independence Avenue, SW., 3rd Floor Center, Washington, 
DC 20591. The first meeting will be held on February 21st. The second 
meeting, on February 22, will be a repetition of the previous day. 
Specifically, the same presentations will be repeated by the same staff 
members. Individuals should attend only one of the meetings, not both.
    Both meetings will have limited seating capacity due to physical 
constraints of the facilities. Registered attendees will receive 
priority. Once the capacity of the meeting room is reached, there will 
be an ``overflow'' room available which will have audio and video 
connections to the auditorium. Once the auditorium and overflow room 
seating capacity for a session is reached, subsequent registrants will 
be moved to the other session, provided that session is not 
oversubscribed.
    If seating space is not available on the date that is selected by 
the attendee, all efforts will be made to schedule for the alternate 
date. Attendees will be notified of the change by mail, fax, or e-mail. 
Notification will only be sent if it is not possible to meet the date 
selected by the attendee.
    Out of town attendees must make their own arrangements for hotels 
and other lodging facilities. Lunch on each day will be the attendees' 
responsibility. An eating facility is available in the FAA building and 
there are other options available within a reasonable distance.
    Attendees requiring sign language accommodation should notify DOT 
no later than February 9, 2001.
    Based on the extensive material that needs to be presented and the 
time constraints, it is anticipated that questions will be limited. As 
a result, 3 by 5 cards will be available on which questions may be 
submitted. All questions, including those that are not answered because 
of a shortage of time, will be subsequently published on the DOT web 
site.
    It is expected that attendees will be familiar with the new rule 
and will have a working knowledge of the regulatory requirements. 
Copies of the rule will not be available at these sessions. Attendees 
may download a copy from the DOT web site at 
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.dot.gov/ost/dapc/.

C. Registration Procedures

    All attendees must register with DOT for these meetings. For all 
attendees, the following information is requested: name, name of 
alternate if the possibility exists that the primary registrant may not 
attend, full mailing address, company, agency, or association which you 
represent (if any), telephone number (in case the address is not 
legible or additional information is needed), e-mail address 
(optional), and which session you will be attending (i.e., February 21 
or 22).

[[Page 7591]]

    Registration will expedite the process of entry into the building 
through security. Additionally, it will ensure that there is sufficient 
seating space to accommodate all potential attendees. Because of the 
number of attendees that is projected, it is requested that individuals 
arrive at least 45 minutes prior to the start of the session to have 
sufficient time to meet security procedures.
    For convenience to the public, a form has been developed to 
simplify registration for these meetings. A copy may be obtained from 
the DOT Fax-On-Demand system, by calling (800) 225-3784 and requesting 
document number 140; the registration form will be faxed to the 
requestor. Use of the form will expedite the process of registration. 
The form or all of the information requested above should be mailed, 
faxed, or e-mailed to reach DOT no later then February 16, 2001.

E. Tentative Agenda

    The following is a draft agenda for both days.

8:45-9:00  Registration and entry through security
9:00-9:15  Opening Remarks--Administrative Announcements
9:15-9:30  Overview
9:30-10:30  Major Issues: Validity Testing, Stand Down, Public Interest 
Exclusion
10:30-10:50  Break
10:50-11:30  Employer Responsibilities
11:30-12:00  Alcohol testing
12:00-1:15  Lunch
1:15-1:45  Urine Collection and Laboratory Reporting
1:45-2:30  Medical Review Officer Responsibilities
2:30-2:50  Break
2:50-3:30  Substance Abuse Professional Responsibilities
3:30-4:00  Training
4:00-4:45  Service Agent Responsibilities
4:45-5:30  Questions and Answers

    Issued this 17th day of January, 2001, at Washington, DC.
Mary Bernstein,
Director, Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance, Department 
of Transportation.
[FR Doc. 01-2000 Filed 1-19-01; 10:20 am]
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