U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins urged governors to follow President Donald Trump’s move to suspend penalties on the unrestricted use of dyed diesel fuel. In response, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced Tuesday evening that he will suspend penalties for on-road dyed diesel use. Kemp also extended the suspension of the state’s gas tax until November 5.
President Trump announced Monday evening at a rally in Nebraska that he would authorize highway use of dyed diesel fuel and defer the federal excise tax on the fuel to provide relief from steep diesel prices, which have reached record highs of more than $6 per gallon nationally. Kemp stated in an executive order that dyed diesel is critical for agricultural and forestry operations, particularly during the fall harvest season, and that Georgia should take every action to support President Trump’s order.
Rollins, speaking with reporters in Iowa on Tuesday, said she is “on the phone constantly with other governors, trying to get them to do the same.” Trump’s executive order allows “anyone” to purchase red-dyed diesel fuel “for any reason” and runs through the end of the calendar year.
Rollins also noted that an influx of 10,000,000 barrels of oil from G7 countries has already caused diesel prices to decline. According to AAA fuel price data, the national average price of diesel was about $0.13 per gallon lower on Tuesday than a week prior.
Fuel prices have risen sharply due to the ongoing war in Iran and closures in the Strait of Hormuz, a key trade route for oil and fertilizer, as well as continued conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Rollins echoed Trump’s sentiment about the war in Iran, stating that the government of Iran “cannot have” a nuclear weapon and that the conflict is “so important for the future.” She added that the administration is working to increase domestic energy production, including investments in biofuel production.
