美国IRS将豁免红染柴油记账/申报要求，落实特朗普免税柴油行政令以压低中期选举前柴油成本

The Trump administration is waiving recordkeeping requirements in a bid to encourage farmers, truck-stop operators and other companies to buy tax-exempt red diesel.

The move, part of President Donald Trump’s effort to combat high diesel costs by expanding sales of a tax-exempt variety, was described by an administration official who asked not to be named because details had not yet been formally announced.

In formal guidance expected to be issued Wednesday, the Internal Revenue Service will announce temporary relief from tax-related reporting and recordkeeping requirements tied to red-dyed diesel. The off-road version of the fuel is dyed red to set it apart from clear diesel that’s federally taxed at a rate of 24.4 cents a gallon.

The IRS also will clarify that it won’t challenge temporary failures to meet return-filing, reporting or recordkeeping requirements related to taxable uses of dyed diesel between Oct. 1 and Jan. 1, 2027. The IRS also will not assert civil penalties or additional taxes in connection with Trump’s order, the administration official said.

Read more: Trump Eases Limits on Dyed Diesel in Bid to Cut Fuel Costs

More guidance from the federal government has been eagerly sought by buyers and sellers of diesel, who have wondered how they could take advantage of Trump’s new policy. The IRS information may reassure them they can purchase dyed diesel now without being hit with a tax bill later.

The IRS also is considering a grace period and other options to address worries about residual red dye remaining in fuel tanks after the president’s relief period ends, the administration official said.

Trump signed a directive earlier this month authorizing wider sales of dyed diesel, designed to effectively waive the tax on conventional diesel without help from Congress ahead of the November midterm elections.

Polls show voters frustrated over the cost of living and Trump’s war on Iran are poised to take out their anger on the president’s fellow Republicans at the ballot box, polls show. The average national price for diesel is currently about $6.32 per gallon, according to auto club AAA, near an all-time high hit in September.

The dyed diesel move is one of several White House efforts to counter fuel costs that have surged as wars in Russia and the Middle East pare refining capacity and the shipment of petroleum products globally.

High prices for diesel have been a particular flashpoint in heartland and rural states, where it is used as a source of power as well as fuel for farm equipment.

Trump’s plan effectively allows more widespread use of red or dyed diesel, which is generally available for off-road purposes, such as in farm and construction equipment. Red diesel is exempt from the federal excise tax and enabling its use in on-road vehicles without penalties could translate into an effective tax break in some cases.