MN GOP Delegation Presses Walz to Adopt Red Dye Diesel Relief
Rep. Michelle Fischbach and the rest of Minnesota's Republican congressional delegation sent Gov. Tim Walz a letter urging him to align the state with a Trump administration executive order that authorizes highway use of red dye diesel, which is normally restricted to off-road, untaxed use. The delegation's release says the order can cut diesel costs by roughly $60 per standard tank fill and that neighboring North Dakota has already said it will not enforce fuel checks or penalize drivers using red dye diesel on highways.
Walz has declined to follow suit, according to the release, leaving Minnesota's existing enforcement and penalty structure in place for haulers and farmers who use red-dyed fuel on public roads. Fischbach called the decision "partisan obstruction" that forces local haulers to buy higher-priced clear diesel during harvest season, which she said raises transportation costs that get passed on to consumers.
The release does not detail the underlying executive order's date or legal mechanism, or what specific enforcement actions Minnesota is taking or threatening against drivers who use red dye diesel on highways.
What's next
- Watch whether Walz's office responds publicly to the delegation's letter.
- Track whether other states follow North Dakota's non-enforcement approach or Minnesota's position during the current harvest season.
All sources
- Fischbach, MN GOP Delegation Slam Walz for Rejecting Federal Fuel Relief and Leaving Minnesota Farmers and Families to Pay the Price — Government site: Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach (.gov), 2026-10-13
