AGENCY:
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT)
ACTION:
Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM); extension of comment period.
SUMMARY:
This action extends the comment period for the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), Drug and Alcohol Testing of Certificated Repair Station Employees Located Outside of the United States. On December 7, 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published this proposed rule. The NPRM would require certificated repair stations located outside the territory of the United States whose employees perform safety-sensitive maintenance functions on certain air carrier aircraft to obtain and implement a drug and alcohol testing program in accordance with the requirements of the Drug and Alcohol Testing Program published by the FAA and the Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug Testing Programs published by the Department of Transportation. The FAA is extending the comment period for this NPRM to allow commenters additional time to analyze the proposed rule and prepare a response.
DATES:
The comment period for the NPRM published December 7, 2023, at 88 FR 85137 and scheduled to close on February 5, 2024, is extended until April 5, 2024.
ADDRESSES:
Send comments identified by docket number FAA–2012–1058 using any of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for sending your comments electronically.
• Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M–30; U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W12–140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590–0001.
• Hand Delivery or Courier: Take comments to Docket Operations in Room W12–140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey
Original Notice below:
FAA Proposes to Require Drug and Alcohol Testing of Certificated Repair Station Employees Who Work on Commercial Aircraft Outside of the U.S.
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes to require certificated repair stations located outside the United States whose employees perform safety-sensitive maintenance functions on certain air carrier aircraft to obtain and implement a drug and alcohol testing program. These programs would align with the FAA and Department of Transportation (DOT)’s drug and alcohol standards.
This would be an important step in our overall safety mission because few countries require testing of aviation or maintenance personnel. This rule would ensure these employees are held to the same high level of safety standards regardless of where they are physically located.
The repair stations would have to ensure their employees receive all necessary anti-drug and alcohol training and send their testing data electronically to the DOT.
The proposed rule would impact approximately 977 repair stations in 65 countries. It is scheduled to publish in the Federal Register on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, and the public will have 60 days to submit comments.