OABA Signs Letter to Support S.B. 2777

The Ohio AgriBusiness Association has joined with 37 state and national producer and agribusiness groups to sign a letter urging legislators to support Senate Bill 2777. The bill would reauthorize the federal Surface Transportation Board (STB), which is responsible for overseeing freight railroads.

For rail shippers and receivers, one major improvement in the bill is express authority it would provide STB to initiate investigations of rail practices – except for allegations involving unreasonable rail rates – without having to wait for the filing of a formal complaint by a freight rail user or group of users. Current law allows the STB to initiate an investigation only if it receives a formal complaint filed by one or more rail users, which many are reluctant to do given the time, cost and potential for retaliation.

The bill would also expand the current STB from three members to five, require the STB to post all complaints from rail users and enhance the STB’s status as an independent agency, banning other agencies from submitting budget requests for the STB.

Click here to read the letter signed by OABA.