WASHINGTON (AP) – Sen. Olympia Snowe has introduced legislation to lessen the impact of rising diesel fuel costs on truckers.

Snowe says the Diesel Tax Parity Act would lower the federal diesel tax from 24.3 cents to 18.3 cents a gallon, making it the same tax as gasoline. According to AAA, diesel fuel prices now average $4.34 a gallon in Maine and $4.20 nationwide.

Snowe, who sits on the Senate finance and commerce committees, says high diesel prices have forced truckers and lobstermen to go out of business, and that they are in need of help from Congress.