By TIM ALEXANDER
Illinois Correspondent

ROCKVILLE, Md. — While soybean associations are supporting U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud’s (D-Maine) Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2009 (HR 1799) – which would allow states to grant permission for six-axle, 97,000-pound semis to use the interstate system – Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.) has introduced legislation to restrict both weight and length increases on federal highways to limits imposed in 2008.

McGovern’s SHIPA bill, or the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act (HR 1618), would allow exceptions for certain special vehicles and carriers of nondivisible loads.

The Agriculture Transportation Efficiency Coalition (AgTec) issued a legislative update to its members warning that McGovern’s bill will extend the faceoff between supporters of the two disparate visions of the country’s surface transportation future.

“This is the bill which the so-called public safety advocates and their allies and supporters among the Class One railroads, teamsters and some independent truckers are supporting, out of various motives,” reads AgTec’s update, in part.

“AgTec and our allies have pointed out that, were the SHIPA bill to become law, highway congestion would increase, as increases in freight traffic would draw additional trucks into the system, as would fuel consumption, emissions into the atmosphere and adverse impacts on public safety – while increasing hauling costs which consumers would ultimately bear in the form of price inflation.”

McGovern’s bill boasts nearly four times the number of supporters than does Michaud’s.

“The (McGovern) bill is not bipartisan – its supporters are overwhelmingly Democrats and run in general toward the liberal wing of the party,” stated AgTec. “We expect more face-offs this year.”

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) recently introduced a companion bill to McGovern’s in the Senate (S 779).

AgTec is urging its allies to contact members of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and other representatives to make the case for HR 1799. Cosponsors of HR 1799 on the committee include representatives Leonard Boswell of Iowa, Steve Cohen of Tennessee, Jean Schmidt of Ohio, Brett Guthrie of Kentucky and Aaron Schock of Illinois.