Republican Sen. Roy Blunt yesterday floated a measure that would address escalating gasoline prices by reducing the number of required specialty fuel blends.

At issue in the Missouri senator's legislation are the local and regional fuel blends created to meet emission standards. The Clean Air Act allows places with specific air quality issues -- such as cities or industrial areas -- to adopt unique clean fuel requirements and to sell specially formulated gasoline to meet air quality needs.

Oil refiners work with local and state air quality officials to create the fuels that meet local air quality needs, and U.S. EPA dubs such fuels "boutique fuels."

Blunt's legislation would allow for a reduction in the number of approved boutique fuels.

"Gas prices are skyrocketing while families and job creators nationwide are paying the price," Blunt said in a statement. "By allowing for a reduction in the number of approved boutique fuels and providing communities with more response flexibility during times of temporary shortage, the [bill] will help drive down costs for households and small business owners who are struggling to make ends meet."

During his tenure in the House, Blunt pushed to give EPA authority to waive fuel requirements during natural disaster-caused supply disruptions and to cap the number of boutique fuels in existence.