By Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, and North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley
Rail transportation is the backbone of the American economy, and a proposed $85 billion merger threatens to concentrate market power in an already highly consolidated industry in the hands of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern. The consequences will ripple across the economy, raising transportation costs, weakening service, and squeezing industries that depend on rail, from agriculture to energy.
At a moment like this, regulators shouldn’t take merger parties at their word. They should demand evidence. That’s exactly what we have called for when it comes to evaluating this mega merger and we are pleased the U.S. Department of Justice and the Surface Transportation Board have agreed.
