[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S3416]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1939. Mr. PETERS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 4049, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2021 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. __. 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 the exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl
substances (commonly referred to as ``PFAS'') from
firefighting foam and personal protective equipment; and
(B) limit or prevent the release of PFAS from firefighting
foam into the environment;
(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
(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 section.
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