II 

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. 


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•S 231 RS

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting Firefighters 

5 from Adverse Substances Act’’ or the ‘‘PFAS Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. GUIDANCE ON HOW TO PREVENT EXPOSURE TO 

7 AND RELEASE OF PFAS. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

9 date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 

10 Federal Emergency Management Agency, in consultation 

11 with the Administrator of the United States Fire Adminis12 tration, the Administrator of the Environmental Protec13 tion Agency, the Director of the National Institute for Oc14 cupational Safety and Health, and the heads of any other 

15 relevant agencies, shall— 

16 (1) develop and publish guidance for firefighters 

17 and other emergency response personnel on training, 

18 education programs, and best practices to— 

19 (A) reduce the exposure to per- and 

20 polyfluoroalkyl substances (commonly referred 

21 to as ‘‘PFAS’’) from firefighting foam and per22 sonal protective equipment; and 

23 (B) limit or prevent the release of PFAS 

24 from firefighting foam into the environment; 


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•S 231 RS

1 (2) develop and issue guidance to firefighters 

2 and other emergency response personnel on alter3 native foams, personal protective equipment, and 

4 other firefighting tools and equipment that do not 

5 contain PFAS; and 

6 (3) create an online public repository, which 

7 shall be updated on a regular basis, on tools and 

8 best practices for firefighters and other emergency 

9 response personnel to reduce, limit, and prevent the 

10 release of and exposure to PFAS. 

11 (b) REQUIRED CONSULTATION.—In developing the 

12 guidance required under subsection (a), the Administrator 

13 of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall con14 sult with appropriate interested entities, including— 

15 (1) firefighters and other emergency response 

16 personnel, including national fire service and emer17 gency response organizations; 

18 (2) impacted communities dealing with PFAS 

19 contamination; 

20 (3) scientists, including public and occupational 

21 health and safety experts, who are studying PFAS 

22 and PFAS alternatives in firefighting foam; 

23 (4) voluntary standards organizations engaged 

24 in developing standards for firefighter and fire25 fighting equipment; 


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•S 231 RS

1 (5) State fire training academies; 

2 (6) State fire marshals; 

3 (7) manufacturers of firefighting tools and 

4 equipment; and 

5 (8) any other relevant entities, as determined 

6 by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 

7 Management Agency and the Administrator of the 

8 United States Fire Administration. 

9 (c) REVIEW OF GUIDANCE.—Not later than 3 years 

10 after the date on which the guidance required under sub11 section (a) is issued, and not less frequently than once 

12 every 2 years thereafter, the Administrator of the Federal 

13 Emergency Management Agency, in consultation with the 

14 Administrator of the United States Fire Administration, 

15 the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agen16 cy, and the Director of the National Institute for Occupa17 tional Safety and Health, shall review the guidance and, 

18 as appropriate, issue updates to the guidance. 

19 (d) APPLICABILITY OF FACA.—The Federal Advi20 sory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to 

21 this Act. 

22 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

23 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting Firefighters 

24 from Adverse Substances Act’’ or the ‘‘PFAS Act’’. 


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•S 231 RS

1 SEC. 2. GUIDANCE ON HOW TO PREVENT EXPOSURE TO 

2 AND RELEASE OF PFAS. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

4 date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Fed5 eral Emergency Management Agency, in consultation with 

6 the Administrator of the United States Fire Administra7 tion, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 

8 Agency, the Director of the National Institute for Occupa9 tional Safety and Health, and the heads of any other rel10 evant agencies, shall— 

11 (1) develop and publish guidance for firefighters 

12 and other emergency response personnel on training, 

13 education programs, and best practices to— 

14 (A) reduce and eliminate exposure to per15 and polyfluoroalkyl substances (commonly re16 ferred to as ‘‘PFAS’’) from firefighting foam and 

17 personal protective equipment; and 

18 (B) prevent the release of PFAS from fire19 fighting foam into the environment; 

20 (2) develop and issue guidance for firefighters 

21 and other emergency response personnel on foams and 

22 non-foam alternatives, personal protective equipment, 

23 and other firefighting tools and equipment that do not 

24 contain PFAS; and 

25 (3) create an online public repository, which 

26 shall be updated on a regular basis, on tools and best 


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•S 231 RS

1 practices for firefighters and other emergency response 

2 personnel to reduce, limit, and prevent the release of 

3 and exposure to PFAS. 

4 (b) REQUIRED CONSULTATION.—In developing the 

5 guidance required under subsection (a), the Administrator 

6 of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall consult 

7 with appropriate interested entities, including— 

8 (1) firefighters and other emergency response 

9 personnel, including national fire service and emer10 gency response organizations; 

11 (2) impacted communities dealing with PFAS 

12 contamination; 

13 (3) scientists, including public and occupational 

14 health and safety experts, who are studying PFAS 

15 and PFAS alternatives in firefighting foam; 

16 (4) voluntary standards organizations engaged 

17 in developing standards for firefighter and fire18 fighting equipment; 

19 (5) State fire training academies; 

20 (6) State fire marshals; 

21 (7) manufacturers of firefighting tools and 

22 equipment; and 

23 (8) any other relevant entities, as determined by 

24 the Administrator of the Federal Emergency ManageVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:46 May 10, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\S231.RS S231

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•S 231 RS

1 ment Agency and the Administrator of the United 

2 States Fire Administration. 

3 (c) REVIEW OF GUIDANCE.—Not later than 3 years 

4 after the date on which the guidance required under sub5 section (a) is issued, and not less frequently than once every 

6 2 years thereafter, the Administrator of the Federal Emer7 gency Management Agency, in consultation with the Ad8 ministrator of the United States Fire Administration, the 

9 Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, 

10 and the Director of the National Institute for Occupational 

11 Safety and Health, shall review the guidance and, as appro12 priate, issue updates to the guidance. 

13 (d) APPLICABILITY OF FACA.—The Federal Advisory 

14 Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to this Act. 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
Calendar No. 55 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 231 

[Report No. 117–21] 

A BILL 

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

MAY 10, 2021 

Reported with an amendment 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS