"I've called together interested parties to talk about what's right with this proposed merger, what's wrong with it, and to identify the specific questions and concerns we want addressed," Grassley said. "I'd also like to determine what conditions should be set on the merger."
Based on this discussion, Grassley said that he may put together a follow-up meeting to bring officials from the two railroads to Iowa to meet with the working group he has assembled. Grassley said his goal is to influence the shape of the merger directly with the railroads or to weigh in on the process with the federal regulators.
When the $6 million deal was announced in December, Grassley said he was concerned about adequate competition in transportation, especially for grain shippers and farmers in the Midwest. The proposed merger, which will be reviewed by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board, would create the largest railroad in North America.
The meeting Grassley organized is scheduled for Wed., Jan. 19. It will be held at the Iowa Farm Bureau headquarters in West Des Moines. Grassley said he will brief reporters and take questions at 2:30 p.m., immediately following the session. This will be the fourth such meeting Grassley has organized since 1996.
Representatives from the Iowa Farm Bureau, the Agri-Business Association of Iowa, the Iowa Association of Business & Industry, the Iowa Department of Transportation, and various Iowa utilities will participate in Grassley's meeting.