The Department of Agriculture manages the regular testing of fuel. They didn't start testing until 1997, which explains why I grew up thinking we had crappy gas. The fuel has to have 9.2 to 10% ethanol. I pasted some more info below, I will have to look up the ASTM standards tomorrow. I might send them an email to see what the average test shows.
http://https://www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/ISCP/Pages/MotorFuelQuality.aspx
Per the site above:
Anti-Knock Index, or octane, is used to price gasoline in the US market. ODA checks all grades of gasoline offered for sale at each gas station to make certain that the posted octane rating correctly represents the gasoline sold. Three basic checks are routinely performed:
Dispenser blending ratios are verified
Product certification documents are inspected
Fuel is tested using portable octane analyzers
The laws ors:
“Ethanol” means ethyl alcohol, a flammable liquid having the formula C2H5OH used or sold for the purpose of blending or mixing with gasoline for use in motor vehicles.
“Gasoline” means any fuel sold for use in spark ignition engines whether leaded or unleaded.
646.913 Limitations on gasoline sales; requirements for ethanol content in gasoline; rules. (1) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, a wholesale dealer, retail dealer or nonretail dealer may not sell gasoline or offer gasoline for sale unless the gasoline contains 10 percent denatured fuel ethanol by volume. Gasoline that contains anhydrous ethanol in concentrations between 9.2 percent and 10 percent by volume complies with the requirement set forth in this subsection.
(2) The State Department of Agriculture shall adopt standards for gasoline blended with ethanol that is sold in this state. The standards that the department adopts shall require that the gasoline blended with ethanol:
(a) Contains ethanol that is derived from agricultural or woody waste or residue;
(b) Complies with the volatility requirements specified in 40 C.F.R. part 80;
(c) Complies with ASTM International specification D 4814, Standard Specification for Automotive Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel;
(d) Is not blended with casinghead gasoline, absorption gasoline, drip gasoline or natural gasoline after the gasoline has been sold, transferred or otherwise removed from a refinery or terminal; and
(e) Contains denatured fuel ethanol that complies with ASTM International specification D 4806, Standard Specification for Denatured Fuel Ethanol for Blending with Gasolines for Use as Automotive Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel.
(3) The department may review specifications adopted by ASTM International, or equivalent organizations, and federal regulations and revise the standards adopted under this section as necessary.
"Octane rating” means the rating of the anti-knock characteristics of a grade or type of gasoline determined by dividing by two the sum of the research octane number and the motor octane number.
646.949 Signs identifying octane rating. (1) A dealer who sells or offers for sale any gasoline shall conspicuously display a sign on each side of the dispensing device, using descriptive commercial terms that accurately identify the octane rating of the gasoline being dispensed from that device. The sign shall be of such size and design and shall be posted in such a manner as the Director of Agriculture determines will adequately inform the purchaser of the octane rating of the gasoline.
(2) Rules adopted pursuant to this section shall conform, to the greatest extent practicable, to rules of the Federal Trade Commission regarding automotive fuel rating certification and posting. [1997 c.310 §3]
646.951 Testing of motor vehicle fuel. (1) The Director of Agriculture may test motor vehicle fuel for the purpose of inspecting the motor vehicle fuel supply of any service station, business or other establishment that sells or offers for sale, or distributes, transports, hauls, delivers or stores motor vehicle fuel that is subsequently sold or offered for sale, for compliance with the motor vehicle fuel quality standards adopted pursuant to ORS 646.957.
(2) The director or the director’s authorized agent shall have access during normal business hours to all places where motor vehicle fuel is sold to or by a retail dealer, nonretail dealer or wholesale dealer for the purpose of examination, inspection and investigation of the establishment’s motor vehicle fuel supply, shall collect or cause to be collected samples of the motor vehicle fuel and shall test or analyze the samples for compliance with motor vehicle fuel quality standards adopted pursuant to ORS 646.957.
(3) Before taking any enforcement action under ORS 646.953 or 646.963, the director shall cause motor vehicle fuel samples to be tested in accordance with standards, reproducibility limits and procedures that are, in the director’s judgment, consistent with ASTM International standards and procedures.
(4) The director or the director’s authorized agent shall notify the owner or person in charge of the facility of the sample collection as soon as is practicable after a sample is taken. The volume of the sample taken for testing must be adequate for the tests to be performed and to allow for a portion of the sample to be retained for subsequent testing, if the need arises. A sample with a test result that is outside the test reproducibility limits, when compared to the applicable limits, shall be properly stored to preserve the sample for at least 90 days. [1997 c.310 §4; 2013 c.1 §83]
http://https://www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/ISCP/Pages/MotorFuelQuality.aspx
Per the site above:
Anti-Knock Index, or octane, is used to price gasoline in the US market. ODA checks all grades of gasoline offered for sale at each gas station to make certain that the posted octane rating correctly represents the gasoline sold. Three basic checks are routinely performed:
Dispenser blending ratios are verified
Product certification documents are inspected
Fuel is tested using portable octane analyzers
The laws ors:
“Ethanol” means ethyl alcohol, a flammable liquid having the formula C2H5OH used or sold for the purpose of blending or mixing with gasoline for use in motor vehicles.
“Gasoline” means any fuel sold for use in spark ignition engines whether leaded or unleaded.
646.913 Limitations on gasoline sales; requirements for ethanol content in gasoline; rules. (1) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, a wholesale dealer, retail dealer or nonretail dealer may not sell gasoline or offer gasoline for sale unless the gasoline contains 10 percent denatured fuel ethanol by volume. Gasoline that contains anhydrous ethanol in concentrations between 9.2 percent and 10 percent by volume complies with the requirement set forth in this subsection.
(2) The State Department of Agriculture shall adopt standards for gasoline blended with ethanol that is sold in this state. The standards that the department adopts shall require that the gasoline blended with ethanol:
(a) Contains ethanol that is derived from agricultural or woody waste or residue;
(b) Complies with the volatility requirements specified in 40 C.F.R. part 80;
(c) Complies with ASTM International specification D 4814, Standard Specification for Automotive Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel;
(d) Is not blended with casinghead gasoline, absorption gasoline, drip gasoline or natural gasoline after the gasoline has been sold, transferred or otherwise removed from a refinery or terminal; and
(e) Contains denatured fuel ethanol that complies with ASTM International specification D 4806, Standard Specification for Denatured Fuel Ethanol for Blending with Gasolines for Use as Automotive Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel.
(3) The department may review specifications adopted by ASTM International, or equivalent organizations, and federal regulations and revise the standards adopted under this section as necessary.
"Octane rating” means the rating of the anti-knock characteristics of a grade or type of gasoline determined by dividing by two the sum of the research octane number and the motor octane number.
646.949 Signs identifying octane rating. (1) A dealer who sells or offers for sale any gasoline shall conspicuously display a sign on each side of the dispensing device, using descriptive commercial terms that accurately identify the octane rating of the gasoline being dispensed from that device. The sign shall be of such size and design and shall be posted in such a manner as the Director of Agriculture determines will adequately inform the purchaser of the octane rating of the gasoline.
(2) Rules adopted pursuant to this section shall conform, to the greatest extent practicable, to rules of the Federal Trade Commission regarding automotive fuel rating certification and posting. [1997 c.310 §3]
646.951 Testing of motor vehicle fuel. (1) The Director of Agriculture may test motor vehicle fuel for the purpose of inspecting the motor vehicle fuel supply of any service station, business or other establishment that sells or offers for sale, or distributes, transports, hauls, delivers or stores motor vehicle fuel that is subsequently sold or offered for sale, for compliance with the motor vehicle fuel quality standards adopted pursuant to ORS 646.957.
(2) The director or the director’s authorized agent shall have access during normal business hours to all places where motor vehicle fuel is sold to or by a retail dealer, nonretail dealer or wholesale dealer for the purpose of examination, inspection and investigation of the establishment’s motor vehicle fuel supply, shall collect or cause to be collected samples of the motor vehicle fuel and shall test or analyze the samples for compliance with motor vehicle fuel quality standards adopted pursuant to ORS 646.957.
(3) Before taking any enforcement action under ORS 646.953 or 646.963, the director shall cause motor vehicle fuel samples to be tested in accordance with standards, reproducibility limits and procedures that are, in the director’s judgment, consistent with ASTM International standards and procedures.
(4) The director or the director’s authorized agent shall notify the owner or person in charge of the facility of the sample collection as soon as is practicable after a sample is taken. The volume of the sample taken for testing must be adequate for the tests to be performed and to allow for a portion of the sample to be retained for subsequent testing, if the need arises. A sample with a test result that is outside the test reproducibility limits, when compared to the applicable limits, shall be properly stored to preserve the sample for at least 90 days. [1997 c.310 §4; 2013 c.1 §83]