New Jersey governor threatens penalties over Russian diesel

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill has issued a formal warning to port and terminal operators in the state, cautioning that the acceptance of Russian diesel shipments could lead to civil and criminal penalties. The governor sent letters to approximately a dozen operators on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, instructing them to refuse any tankers carrying fuel from Russia.

The warning comes in response to a recent decision by the Trump administration to temporarily allow imports of Russian diesel. The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued General License 135 on Oct. 9, 2026, which authorizes transactions involving Russian-origin diesel through April 7, 2027. According to the administration, Russia agreed to supply 300,000 metric tons of diesel immediately, with plans for 500,000 tons in November and 1,000,000 tons in subsequent months.

Governor Sherrill contends that these imports violate the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act, which was passed by Congress in 2022. She argues that the executive branch lacks the legal authority to waive existing sanctions without congressional approval or certification that Russian forces have withdrawn from Ukraine. The governor stated that her administration intends to utilize all available legal and regulatory tools to prevent the offloading of this fuel at state facilities.

In her communication to operators, Sherrill warned that any effort to profit from the trade of Russian fuel would be met with harsh consequences. She urged the facilities to turn away any tankers seeking to use their infrastructure for such purposes, citing concerns that the imports help finance military actions in Ukraine.