WASHINGTON, Aug 30 (Reuters) - A Democratic senator on Wednesday urged U.S. President Donald Trump to tap the country’s emergency gasoline or crude oil reserves to alleviate motor fuel price spikes resulting from Tropical Storm Harvey.

Senator Edward Markey said in a letter to Trump that an immediate release of gasoline from the nation’s oil product reserve, or crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve if warranted, would help protect consumers from price increases at the pump and tame any market speculation that could harm consumers. Harvey has shut about 20 percent of U.S. fuel output after refineries in Texas and Louisiana were flooded. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)