Alabama Congressman Robert Aderholt is one of several Republican lawmakers urging the Biden Administration to take measures to head off what is being called a looming diesel fuel supply shortage in the South.

Last week, energy supply company Mansfield Energy issued a supply alert affecting seven southeastern states, including Alabama,

“At times, carriers are having to visit multiple terminals to find supply, which delays deliveries and strains local trucking capacity,” the company stated in an alert.

At the same time, as Forbes reported, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that distillate inventories – which includes diesel – were at their lowest levels since 2008.

Analysts say there are several factors affecting supply, such as U.S. refinery capacity having fallen due to the closure of unprofitable refineries, and the cutoff of Russian imports. Prior to the invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. was importing nearly 700,000 barrels per day of petroleum and petroleum products.

Aderholt, in a statement, blamed President Joe Biden’s energy policies for the shortage.

“European nations, because of overzealous green energy policies, are already feeling the pain of these type problems and now the Biden Administration is following suit here in the U.S., with the same results,” he said. “I’m ready to do what I can to help ease the impact of any diesel shortages in Alabama.”

Aderholt was one of 130 Republican members of Congress to co-sign an Oct. 17 letter, urging Biden to issue a five-year leasing plan with annual lease sales in offshore areas of the U.S.

“To be clear, already sky-high energy prices will likely worsen unless you immediately reverse course and drastically increase exploration, leasing, and production of oil and natural gas here at home,” the letter reads.