S. 2525 would require the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to study the prevalence and concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in personal protective equipment worn by firefighters, releases of those substances into the environment, and firefighters’ risk of PFAS exposure. The study would need to be completed within three years of enactment. The bill also would require NIST to award grants for research on safe alternatives to the use of PFAS in personal protective equipment.
For this estimate, CBO assumes that the bill will be enacted in fiscal year 2020. The bill would authorize the appropriation of whatever amounts are necessary.
Using information from NIST and NIOSH, CBO estimates that it would cost the two agencies $7 million over the 2020-2023 period for the required study. Over the 2024-2025 period, CBO estimates that it would cost NIST $7 million for the required grants and related administrative costs. Thus, the total cost would be $14 million over the 2020-2025 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts.
