Tennessee Governor Lee Suspends Dyed Diesel Restrictions for Agriculture Through October
NASHVILLE — Governor Bill Lee has directed state officials to suspend enforcement of Tennessee's restrictions on the use of dyed (red) diesel for agriculture through the end of October. In an October 2 letter to Agriculture Commissioner Andy Holt, Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano, Transportation Commissioner Will Reid and Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Jeff Long, Lee ordered the suspension, aligning the state with President Trump's executive order easing highway use of dyed diesel and providing tax penalty relief. The letter also asked the revenue commissioner to request dyed diesel penalty relief from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Dyed diesel is chemically the same as regular diesel but is tinted red to show it is tax-free fuel meant for off-road farm use; roadway use was capped at five miles to transport product from land to storage, farmers must present a Department of Revenue agricultural sales and use tax exemption certificate to buy it tax-free, and illegal highway use amounts to tax evasion. "We have to do all we can to support Tennessee's farmers and foresters. To that end, I'm directing you to suspend enforcement of Tennessee's dyed diesel restrictions on Tennessee's agricultural economy through the end of October," Lee wrote.
Before the governor's action, two state senators wrote to Lee on September 29 asking him to lift the ban through November 15. The state has not announced whether the suspension will be extended beyond October.
Sources: Office of the Tennessee Governor; WVLT
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 农田收割作业。Harvesting in the field. Photo: USDA NRCS, Public domain
