[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 231 Reported in Senate (RS)]

<DOC>





                                                        Calendar No. 55
117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 231

                          [Report No. 117-21]

To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
   to develop guidance for firefighters and other emergency response 
 personnel on best practices to protect them from exposure to PFAS and 
to limit and prevent the release of PFAS into the environment, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 4, 2021

  Mr. Peters (for himself, Mr. Sullivan, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Tillis, Mr. 
   Carper, Ms. Murkowski, Ms. Collins, Ms. Sinema, and Mrs. Shaheen) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
        Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

                              May 10, 2021

               Reported by Mr. Peters, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
   to develop guidance for firefighters and other emergency response 
 personnel on best practices to protect them from exposure to PFAS and 
to limit and prevent the release of PFAS into the environment, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Firefighters 
from Adverse Substances Act'' or the ``PFAS Act''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. GUIDANCE ON HOW TO PREVENT EXPOSURE TO AND RELEASE OF 
              PFAS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, in consultation with the Administrator of the United 
States Fire Administration, the Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency, the Director of the National Institute for 
Occupational Safety and Health, and the heads of any other relevant 
agencies, shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) develop and publish guidance for firefighters 
        and other emergency response personnel on training, education 
        programs, and best practices to--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) reduce the exposure to per- and 
                polyfluoroalkyl substances (commonly referred to as 
                ``PFAS'') from firefighting foam and personal 
                protective equipment; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) limit or prevent the release of PFAS 
                from firefighting foam into the environment;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) develop and issue guidance to firefighters and 
        other emergency response personnel on alternative foams, 
        personal protective equipment, and other firefighting tools and 
        equipment that do not contain PFAS; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) create an online public repository, which 
        shall be updated on a regular basis, on tools and best 
        practices for firefighters and other emergency response 
        personnel to reduce, limit, and prevent the release of and 
        exposure to PFAS.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Required Consultation.--In developing the guidance 
required under subsection (a), the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency shall consult with appropriate interested 
entities, including--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) firefighters and other emergency response 
        personnel, including national fire service and emergency 
        response organizations;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) impacted communities dealing with PFAS 
        contamination;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) scientists, including public and occupational 
        health and safety experts, who are studying PFAS and PFAS 
        alternatives in firefighting foam;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) voluntary standards organizations engaged in 
        developing standards for firefighter and firefighting 
        equipment;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) State fire training academies;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) State fire marshals;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) manufacturers of firefighting tools and 
        equipment; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) any other relevant entities, as determined by 
        the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
        and the Administrator of the United States Fire 
        Administration.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Review of Guidance.--Not later than 3 years after the 
date on which the guidance required under subsection (a) is issued, and 
not less frequently than once every 2 years thereafter, the 
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in 
consultation with the Administrator of the United States Fire 
Administration, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency, and the Director of the National Institute for Occupational 
Safety and Health, shall review the guidance and, as appropriate, issue 
updates to the guidance.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Applicability of FACA.--The Federal Advisory Committee 
Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to this Act.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Firefighters from Adverse 
Substances Act'' or the ``PFAS Act''.

SEC. 2. GUIDANCE ON HOW TO PREVENT EXPOSURE TO AND RELEASE OF PFAS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, in consultation with the Administrator of the United 
States Fire Administration, the Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency, the Director of the National Institute for 
Occupational Safety and Health, and the heads of any other relevant 
agencies, shall--
            (1) develop and publish guidance for firefighters and other 
        emergency response personnel on training, education programs, 
        and best practices to--
                    (A) reduce and eliminate exposure to per- and 
                polyfluoroalkyl substances (commonly referred to as 
                ``PFAS'') from firefighting foam and personal 
                protective equipment; and
                    (B) prevent the release of PFAS from firefighting 
                foam into the environment;
            (2) develop and issue guidance for firefighters and other 
        emergency response personnel on foams and non-foam 
        alternatives, personal protective equipment, and other 
        firefighting tools and equipment that do not contain PFAS; and
            (3) create an online public repository, which shall be 
        updated on a regular basis, on tools and best practices for 
        firefighters and other emergency response personnel to reduce, 
        limit, and prevent the release of and exposure to PFAS.
    (b) Required Consultation.--In developing the guidance required 
under subsection (a), the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency shall consult with appropriate interested entities, 
including--
            (1) firefighters and other emergency response personnel, 
        including national fire service and emergency response 
        organizations;
            (2) impacted communities dealing with PFAS contamination;
            (3) scientists, including public and occupational health 
        and safety experts, who are studying PFAS and PFAS alternatives 
        in firefighting foam;
            (4) voluntary standards organizations engaged in developing 
        standards for firefighter and firefighting equipment;
            (5) State fire training academies;
            (6) State fire marshals;
            (7) manufacturers of firefighting tools and equipment; and
            (8) any other relevant entities, as determined by the 
        Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and 
        the Administrator of the United States Fire Administration.
    (c) Review of Guidance.--Not later than 3 years after the date on 
which the guidance required under subsection (a) is issued, and not 
less frequently than once every 2 years thereafter, the Administrator 
of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in consultation with the 
Administrator of the United States Fire Administration, the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Director 
of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, shall 
review the guidance and, as appropriate, issue updates to the guidance.
    (d) Applicability of FACA.--The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 
U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to this Act.
                                                        Calendar No. 55

117th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                 S. 231

                          [Report No. 117-21]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
   to develop guidance for firefighters and other emergency response 
 personnel on best practices to protect them from exposure to PFAS and 
to limit and prevent the release of PFAS into the environment, and for 
                            other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                              May 10, 2021

                       Reported with an amendment