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State Not Testing Gasoline's Octane 06-18-2008
State lawmakers have yet to set aside funding that would allow Ohio to join most other states in testing the accuracy of octane levels in gasoline.

A story from the AP says, despite a 2007 law that authorized the state Agriculture Department to conduct testing, Ohioans do not have a statewide program to ensure that octane ratings are as advertised.

Regular octane is recommended for most cars. Some cars with high compression engines, such as sports cars and certain luxury cars, need higher grade gasoline to prevent engine knock, a rattling sound caused by premature ignition of the compressed fuel-air mixture in one or more cylinders, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

"They set up a straw man when they put it in the Department of Agriculture," said Hamilton County Auditor Dusty Rhodes, who blames petroleum industry pressure for the fact that no testing has been implemented. "Lobbyists knew that the money wasn't there to set it up."

Click here to read more of this story from the AP.

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