HR 8307
Responder and Recovery Safety in EV Fires Act
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Bill overview
This bill establishes an Electric Vehicle Fire Response Working Group within the Department of Transportation. The group will review risks, best practices, and guidance related to responding to electric vehicle fires, including roadside incidents. It will also maintain a database of these incidents to improve future responses and provide an annual report to Congress.
Key provisions
- Creates an Electric Vehicle Fire Response Working Group within the Department of Transportation.
- The working group will review risks, best practices, and guidance for responding to EV fires.
- It will maintain a database of roadside incidents involving EV fires.
- The working group will be composed of representatives from towing, emergency response, automotive, research, and federal agencies.
- The group will issue or update best practices and guidance periodically.
- It will report to Congress annually on its activities and recommendations.
- The group is exempt from the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
- The Secretary will provide administrative support for the working group.
Who is affected
- Electric Vehicle Manufacturers
- Towing Industry
- Emergency Response Personnel
- Consumers of Electric Vehicles
- Federal Agencies
Notable changes
- Establishes a dedicated mechanism for improving response to electric vehicle fires.
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Cosponsor
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119th CONGRESS — 2d Session
H. R. 8307
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Transportation to establish a working group to review and establish guidance and best practices for responding to electric vehicle fires, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Responder and Recovery Safety in EV Fires Act
.
The term electric vehicle means a car, bus, or truck, including an automobile or commercial medium- or heavy-duty on-highway vehicle (as those terms are defined in section 32901(a) of title 49, United States Code), that—
The term public road has the meaning given the term in section 101(a) of title 23, United States Code.
on a parking deck or lot that is open to the public.
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Transportation.
The term working group means the Electric Vehicle Fire Response Working Group established under subsection (b).
Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a working group, to be known as the Electric Vehicle Fire Response Working Group
.
The working group shall be composed of not fewer than 22 members, including—
TRAA); and
such other representatives of the towing industry as the Secretary determines to be appropriate;
at least 6 representatives of emergency response personnel, appointed by the Secretary from among individuals nominated by appropriate entities representing emergency response personnel who may respond to electric vehicle fires, including—
IAFC);
at least 1 representative nominated by the International Association of Fire Fighters (commonly known as the IAFF
);
at least 1 representative nominated by the National Volunteer Fire Council (commonly known as the NVFC
);
at least 1 representative nominated by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (commonly known as the IACP
);
at least 1 representative nominated by the National Association of State Emergency Medical Services Officials (commonly known as the NASEMSO
); and
at least 1 representative nominated by the American Public Works Association (commonly known as the APWA
); and
such other representatives of emergency response personnel as the Secretary determines to be appropriate;
at least 6 representatives of the automotive industry, appointed by the Secretary from among individuals nominated by appropriate entities operating in or representing original equipment manufacturers of electric vehicles or the component parts of electric vehicles, including—
if nominated—
at least 1 representative nominated by the Zero Emission Transportation Association (commonly known as the ZETA
);
at least 1 representative of manufacturers of electric buses;
at least 1 representative of manufacturers of electric commercial medium- or heavy-duty on-highway vehicles;
at least 1 representative of manufacturers of electric vehicle batteries;
at least 1 representative of manufacturers or installers of electric vehicle supply equipment; and
at least 1 representative of manufacturers of electric vehicles; and
such other representatives of the electric vehicle manufacturing industry as the Secretary determines to be appropriate;
at least 4 representatives of research, standards-setting, or training organizations with expertise relating to the risks of electric vehicle fires and electric vehicle fire response, including—
NFPA);
ERSI);
at least 1 representative nominated by the Fire Safety Research Institute of UL Research Institutes (commonly known as UL–FSRI
); and
at least 1 representative nominated by the Society of Automotive Engineers International (commonly known as the SAE
); and
such other representatives of research, standards-setting, or training organizations as the Secretary determines to be appropriate;
1 representative of the Federal Highway Administration, appointed by the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration;
such other representatives of a Federal agency as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, such as representatives of—
Members of the working group shall serve without compensation.
The working group shall—
continuously review—
roadside incidents involving electric vehicle fires, including any response procedures utilized; and
based on that review, periodically issue or update best practices and guidance for responding to electric vehicle fires.
National Emergency Response Information Systemor the
NERIS); and
coordinate with the United States Fire Administration to maintain and update that database, including by ensuring that the database includes, to the maximum extent practicable, the information described in paragraph (3) with respect to roadside incidents.
The Administrator of the United States Fire Administration shall publish the information in the reports required by paragraph (1) in the database described in that paragraph.
To the maximum extent practicable, the reports required by paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to each roadside incident reported—
the time of the incident and response;
the conditions at the scene, such as—
the presence or absence of passengers, pedestrians, or other vehicles; and
such other conditions as the working group determines to be relevant;
the practices and procedures used to respond to the electric vehicle fire;
the results of the incident and response; and
such other information relating to a roadside incident as the working group determines to be appropriate.
The working group shall submit to Congress and make publicly available an annual report on the work of the working group during the previous year, including—
Chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Federal Advisory Committee Act
), shall not apply to the working group.
The working group shall terminate on the date that is 10 years after the date on which the working group is established under subsection (b).