Gov. Abbott waives dyed-diesel restrictions statewide

Governor Greg Abbott issued a statewide disaster proclamation for all 254 Texas counties on Monday, responding to soaring diesel prices and an escalating fuel shortage driven by global oil market disruptions. [Fox 7 Austin]

Governor Greg Abbott took emergency action Monday to address escalating diesel fuel costs by implementing a statewide disaster declaration affecting all 254 Texas counties. The proclamation grants temporary regulatory relief targeting the state's struggling agricultural, transportation and energy sectors amid unprecedented market pressures.

The relief measures permit farmers and commercial haulers to utilize agricultural-grade diesel—a red-tinted fuel ordinarily reserved for off-road equipment and exempt from motor fuel taxes—on Texas public highways. State law traditionally prohibits this practice and subjects violators to penalties. The emergency order suspends those restrictions while keeping the underlying fuel tax obligations intact. Additionally, the proclamation temporarily waives weight restrictions on vehicles transporting fuel, crops and timber products, allowing loads up to 95,000 pounds without requiring state oversize or overweight permits.

"Texas agriculture and freight run on diesel," Abbott said in a statement. "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. These steps cut costs on the farm, on the road, and at the store."

The governor separately petitioned EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin for a temporary waiver of Clean Air Act requirements governing ultra-low sulfur diesel standards and state-level emission rules across 110 Texas counties. Such a waiver would expand the available fuel supply at retail pumps by reducing regulatory restrictions on which diesel products can be sold.

The emergency declaration responds to diesel prices reaching $5.97 per gallon in Texas during September 2026, the highest recorded level. Global supply disruptions—including Russia's July 2026 ban on diesel exports and maritime conflicts affecting Middle Eastern shipping—have severely constrained U.S. fuel inventories to their lowest seasonal levels since 1982, compounding the crisis facing industries dependent on diesel for operations.