Fracking: After protecting First Responders, who protects the Public?

John Upton at Grist wrote an interesting article recently and I understand the need to protect first responders from the unknown chemicals they must often fight in fracking accidents. You probably do as well. It makes sense that these men and women should and must know what they’re up against. Thus far, the fracking industry has refused to disclose just what they pump into the ground on the basis of it being a trade secret.

Hmm. A trade secret. According to a May 19, 2014 article in Mother Jones:

“On Thursday, three Republican state senators introduced a bill that would slap a felony charge on individuals who disclosed confidential information about fracking chemicals. The bill, whose sponsors include a member of Republican party leadership, establishes procedures for fire chiefs and health care providers to obtain chemical information during emergencies. But as the trade publication Energywire noted Friday, individuals who leak information outside of emergency settings could be penaliz…