Fuel rules burden corn production, House Republicans complain in letter

The Environmental Protection Agency said it's reviewing congressional requests to relax rules mandating the use of ethanol, which some lawmakers say is straining corn supplies.

Fifty-one House Republicans signed a June 27 letter to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson saying that reduced production of corn, the main source of U.S. biofuels, makes boosting the ethanol requirements a burden. Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana also called for the elimination of a 54-cent-a-gallon tax on imported ethanol to ease corn demand.

The EPA "will review the letter and respond appropriately," probably this month, said agency spokesman Jonathan Shradar in an e-mail. "Keep in mind this is from the same Congress" that just months ago passed requirements that 9 billion gallons of grain-derived ethanol be blended into U.S. fuel this year.