05/06/05 Idaho support for rail competition bill

Senator Larry Craig is backing a bill in Congress that could bring more railroad cars to Idaho. The Railroad Competition Act of 2005 has plenty of backing in Idaho from potato growers to grain producers. Steve Johnson of the Idaho Grain Producers Association says a friend in the lumber business is in the same boat. JOHNSON "His biggest single factor affecting his profitability in his lumber mill is the fact that he can't get train cars to bring raw logs in and get his processed lumber out." They happen to be the folks at Union Pacific. The bill Craig backs should foster rail competition by clarifying the national policy and set up a process to solve rate and service disputes. JOHNSON "If a shipper feels like they're being unfairly treated by the railroad they can file a grievance. In a very short period of time a third party arbitrator will be assigned to that case and he will review both sides of the case whether it's the railroad side or the shipper's side. That arbitrator will make a final decision as to who is being injured." Johnson says he is confident the bill will pass this year but if it doesn't he promises to try again this year. He and others in agriculture still insist that the railroads are public utilities. JOHNSON "And they have an obligation to serve everyone throughout the country."