With diesel fuel becoming expensive in many places and scarce in some others, Governor Greg Abbott says he's hoping to ease the growing crisis by declaring a disaster.
Diesel fuel is considered the "fuel of industry" because it's so widely used, in most farm equipment (meaning a shortage of fuel could cause a shortage of food) and in buses, trains, and delivery trucks (meaning a shortage of fuel could cause a shortage of goods delivered everywhere).
"Russian and Middle Eastern export flows have been disrupted, and now the United States is essentially the world's swing diesel supplier," according to Ed Longanecker, president of the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO), which represents family-owned producers, minerals estates and trusts, and large independent companies in the state.
The governor's declaration (below) helps free up the use of off-road diesel fuel for on-road use and could result in the waiver of some federal and state regulatory hurdles for getting some diesel to market.
"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 wrote in his press release about the disaster declaration.
Longanecker says the declaration "lifts oversize and overweight permitting for fuel, agricultural and timber loads up to 95,000 pounds.
"And it suspends Texas' low-emission diesel rules."
And he adds, "the White House is now considering regulatory relief that would allow broader sales of red-dyed diesel as part of an effort to bring down soaring costs, a move that would allow some buyers to avoid the federal fuel tax."
1 of 1