Texas is loosening restrictions on diesel fuel in an effort to increase supplies and bring down costs amid record-high prices.
A proclamation by Gov. Greg Abbott also raises the allowable weight for fuel, agricultural, and timber loads and suspends Texas Low Emission Diesel rules to the extent authorized by the federal government.
“Texas agriculture and freight run on diesel,” said Abbott. “Record prices put both industries at risk and raise costs for every Texas family.”
“Farmers and truckers can now use dyed diesel on Texas roads, and fuel, crop, and timber loads can move at a higher weight,” he added. “These steps cut costs on the farm, on the road, and at the store.”
Dyed diesel is off-road fuel typically used in agricultural operations and sold without a motor-fuels tax. Because it is untaxed, state law ordinarily bars its use on public roadways.
Gov. Abbott’s proclamation suspends state restrictions and associated penalties to allow expanded use of dyed diesel on Texas roads. It does not waive the underlying fuel tax.
The proclamation also suspends certain oversize and overweight permitting requirements, allowing vehicles carrying fuel, agricultural, or timber products to operate at gross weights of up to 95,000 pounds.
Gov. Abbott separately asked EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to temporarily waive federal ultra-low sulfur diesel requirements as well as TxLED requirements applying in 110 Texas counties.
In the letter, Abbott said Texas diesel prices reached an all-time high of $5.97 per gallon in September and argued that temporarily lifting the restrictions would increase the available fuel supply and reduce prices.
The actions come one week after Abbott was asked at a press conference what Texas could do to lower fuel prices.
“We all know what the solution is, and that is the end of the war in Iran,” Abbott said. “And when that war ends, fuel is going to go back down to lower than it was before.”
Abbott added that as long as the war continued, fuel prices would remain high.
However, the governor has not proposed broadly suspending the state gas tax, with his office saying he lacks the authority to do so.
Meanwhile, Attorney General and Republican U.S. Senate nominee Ken Paxton last week called for suspending the federal gas tax and said he would prefer to eliminate it permanently.
“Repealing those taxes would put money straight back into drivers’ pockets every time they fill up, and Washington should fund roads by cutting waste, not by taxing Texans at the pump,” said Paxton.
