Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a 30-day statewide disaster declaration amid rising diesel prices in the Lone Star State.
Diesel prices across the country have reached record highs in recent weeks, largely due to Iran’s ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz and repeated attacks on oil refineries in the Russo-Ukrainian conflict.
B-1B Lancer Bomber U.S. Air Force Display. Image Credit: National Security Journal.
B-1B Lancer Bomber. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Gov. Abbott’s declaration comes just five weeks before Texas votes in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
Disaster Declared
On Monday, 28th September, Gov. Abbott issued the 30-day statewide disaster proclamation as diesel prices remain at record highs.
The declaration, which covers all 254 counties, certified that “the shortage of diesel fuel poses an imminent threat or occurrence of harm to the public health and safety” in Texas.
Under the proclamation, the use of dyed diesel has been expanded to public roads.
Typically used in agriculture and construction, dyed diesel is sold without a motor-fuels tax; hence, it is usually barred from use on public roads.
Moreover, the declaration raises the allowable weight for fuel, agricultural and timber loads, with Texas Low Emission Diesel rules suspended to the maximum limit.
Gov. Abbott also asked the Environmental Protection Agency to waive federal ultra-low sulfur diesel requirements.
“Texas agriculture and freight run on diesel,” said Abbott on Monday. “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 state’s 20-cent-per-gallon fuel tax remains in place despite the declaration.
Prices Rising
Diesel is critical to managing the cost of living for Texas’ 31 million residents.
Beyond helping drivers get from A to B, it also powers farming and the shipping of goods.
When diesel prices rise, businesses pass the cost on to consumers, further increasing the cost of living.
Although less so in Texas than in the rest of the country, diesel also heats homes in the cold winter months.
Diesel prices typically rise after summer because of a seasonal surge in heating oil demand.
Expanded agricultural activity also increases demand, while refineries typically use Fall to conduct maintenance ahead of the annual switch to winter-grade diesel.
Combined with ongoing conflicts in eastern Europe and the Middle East, a growing shortage is causing problems across the United States.
Texas is feeling the pinch, with the average price per gallon reaching a record high of $5.86 on Monday. That compares to $3.30 per gallon before the Iran war began, and $3.17 per gallon this time last year.
Election Looms
Gov. Abbott faces his fourth successive gubernatorial election this November as he seeks to retain a seat no Democrat has won since 1994.
While the incumbent has led his Democrat rival, state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, for much of the campaign, polls have tightened in recent weeks.
Hinojosa even led Abbott in an NPR/Marist and a Recon MR poll, although her lead was inside each poll’s margin of error.
A Televisa/Univision poll in August also had both candidates tied among 1,000 respondents.
The cost of living is set to be the deciding factor in how millions of Americans vote this November, with 47% of voters saying it’ll be at the top of their minds come polling day.
Republicans have struggled to defend Donald Trump’s handling of the Iran war and the associated living cost rises that have come with it, with those in office such as Abbott utilizing the tools available to support residents.
Further Support Demanded
Following the disaster declaration on Monday, Hinojosa called for further support by removing the state’s fuel tax – something Abbott’s office argued it did not have the power to do.
The Texas Democratic Party backed Hinojosa’s position on Monday, calling for a suspension of the gas tax while blaming President Trump’s foreign policy.
“Abbott must also demand that Donald Trump lift his absurd tariffs and halt the unnecessary war that are driving up costs for Texans,” said Terri Burke, executive director for the state Democratic Party.
“Abbott cannot keep asking working families to shoulder the burden of his political loyalty to Trump while Texans pay the price.”
About the Author: Shay Bottomley
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist. He has written for the Western Standard, Business Insider, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo.
