116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2353 

AN ACT 

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. 
2 

†S 2353 ES

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 of 2019’’ or the ‘‘PFAS Act 

6 of 2019’’. 

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

8 AND RELEASE OF PFAS. 

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

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

11 Federal Emergency Management Agency, in consultation 

12 with the Administrator of the United States Fire Adminis13 tration, the Administrator of the Environmental Protec14 tion Agency, the Director of the National Institute for Oc15 cupational Safety and Health, and the heads of any other 

16 relevant agencies, shall— 

17 (1) develop and publish guidance for firefighters 

18 and other emergency response personnel on training, 

19 education programs, and best practices to— 

20 (A) reduce the exposure to per- and 

21 polyfluoroalkyl substances (commonly referred 

22 to as ‘‘PFAS’’) from firefighting foam and per23 sonal protective equipment; and 

24 (B) limit or prevent the release of PFAS 

25 from firefighting foam into the environment; 
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†S 2353 ES

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 2353 ES

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. 
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1 (d) APPLICABILITY OF FACA.—The Federal Advi2 sory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to 

3 this Act. 

Passed the Senate December 18, 2020. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 
116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2353 

AN ACT 

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