Executive Order 2026-08

WHEREAS, the Trump Administration’s war with Iran has disrupted the global flow of trade through the Strait of Hormuz; and,

WHEREAS, according to the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA), the conflict has “dramatically reduced the availability of oil supplies to global markets and has had cascading effects across oil supply chains”; and,

WHEREAS, diesel fuel prices in Illinois have risen to a record high; and,

WHEREAS, the EIA predicts that “constraints to exporting oil from the Middle East will persist through the end of the year, which keeps crude oil production in the region below pre-conflict averages until the second quarter of 2027;” and,

WHEREAS, distillate fuel inventories in the United States are predicted to remain below the five-year (2021 to 2025) low through much of 2027, further contributing to increased diesel fuel prices; and,

WHEREAS, high diesel fuel prices have resulted in extraordinary increases in the cost of transportation of agricultural and raw goods, such as beef and grain, in Illinois; and,

WHEREAS, increased agricultural transportation costs are often passed on to consumers in the form of higher grocery prices; and,

WHEREAS, Illinois farmers are at further risk of loss of profitability due to the Trump Administration’s cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which allows eligible Illinois residents to use SNAP benefits to purchase locally grown food; and,

WHEREAS, Illinois farmers are now facing unprecedented financial pressure and instability; and,

WHEREAS, agriculture is a critical economic driver for all of Illinois; and,

WHEREAS, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) implements the Illinois Harvest Permit (IHP) program, a free permit program which effectively allows heavier truck weights on specified routes during the fall harvest season, from September 1 through December 31 each year; and,

WHEREAS, I, JB Pritzker, Governor of Illinois, have declared all counties in the State of Illinois as a disaster area due to the diesel fuel crisis;

THEREFORE, by the powers vested in me as the Governor of the State of Illinois, pursuant to Sections 7(1), 7(2), and 7(3) of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, 20 ILCS 3305, I hereby order the following:

Section 1. The Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) and Illinois State Police (ISP) are directed not to impose a penalty when dyed diesel fuel is sold or used from bulk storage for use on highways and state roads for farming and agricultural purposes through December 31, 2026. IDOR is directed to issue guidance to clearly explain how it intends to implement this penalty relief, including an explanation of what records and documentation users of dyed diesel should maintain to demonstrate that their use qualifies for penalty relief.

Section 2. IDOR is directed to request federal penalty relief from the Internal Revenue Service for the highway use of dyed diesel fuel in accordance with IRM 25.16.1.5 and the Presidential Executive Order addressing Emergency Tax Relief on Dyed Diesel Fuel entered October 5, 2026, to provide additional relief as the diesel shortage intersects with the fall harvest season.

Section 3. IDOT is directed to consider extending the IHP program into the winter, spring, or summer of 2027, to provide additional relief if the diesel shortage continues.

Section 4. Nothing in this Executive Order shall be construed to contravene any federal or State law or regulation.

Section 5. If any provision of this Executive Order or its application to any person or circumstances is held invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, this invalidity does not affect any other provision or application of this Executive Order which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application. To achieve this purpose, the provisions of this Executive Order are declared to be severable.

Section 6. This Executive Order shall be effective immediately upon its filing with the Secretary of State.

_____________________
JB Pritzker
Governor

Issued by the Governor: October 6, 2026
Filed with the Secretary of State: October 6, 2026