US Republicans ask EPA to rein in ethanol credit prices

WASHINGTON, March 20 (Reuters) - Two U.S. Republican Senators on Wednesday called on the Environmental Protection Agency to act decisively to protect consumers from the rising costs of the ethanol credits refiners are required to buy to comply with the nation's biofuel mandates.

"We ask that you utilize any and all existing regulatory authority and flexibility to address the issue of rising (credit) costs and alleviate the threat of increased consumer fuel costs," said Senator David Vitter, the top Republican on the Senate environment committee, and Senator Lisa Murkowski, the top Republican on the Senate energy committee, in a letter to the EPA.