[redpoint5]

I don't even know how a technical topic, such as octane and oxygenates in engines falls under the executive branch of the US to weigh in on, let alone dictate?

Perhaps the EPA, DOT, and DOE have an interest and some expertise on the subject, but I don't see why the executive branch does. Do government agencies have to go through executive branches when making recommendations, or can they submit them directly to congress?

Where I'm going with this is that we should always be restraining the authority of a single person (executive branch) as appropriate, to distribute that authority to more people.