October 28, 2026
St. Paul – Rep. Terry Stier, R-Belle Plaine, is asking Gov. Tim Walz to consider another step to help Minnesotans dealing with diesel prices above $6 per gallon.
Stier joined House Republicans in a letter sent to the governor Thursday asking whether Minnesota can temporarily allow red-dyed diesel to be used on state highways without penalty. North Dakota has already taken similar action.
Minnesota currently taxes on-road diesel at 32.6 cents per gallon, and under the state’s automatic indexing law, that rate is scheduled to increase again on January 1.
“Six-dollar diesel gets expensive in a hurry when you’re filling a truck, tractor or piece of heavy equipment,” Stier said. “We’re asking for some relief at a time when the state is actually preparing to raise the tax again. Farmers, truckers and businesses are getting squeezed, and eventually those costs reach everybody else too.”
Gov. Walz recently issued Emergency Executive Order 26-11 easing some transportation requirements involving fuel and agricultural and forestry products. Stier and the other lawmakers are asking him to go further and consider direct relief from the state’s diesel tax and the flexibility to use dyed diesel on state highways without penalty.
