"The real battle is just beginning," said Adrienne Esposito of Citizens Campaign for the Environment in Farmingdale, who is a leader of a coalition opposed to the plant.

George Oros, a Republican county legislator representing Peekskill, said no amount of lobbying by the department would have broken a strong coalition opposed to diversion.

But a coalition opposed to hunting has mounted a steadily growing campaign since May, prompting Mrs. Whitman to retreat.

The Iraqi National Congress, a coalition of Kurdish and Arab groups opposed to President Saddam Hussein, brokered a ceasefire agreement on Friday.

In his absence, surrogates have stumped on his behalf, even as Parliament, controlled by a coalition opposed to Mr. Kuchma, authorized an investigation into his accusations.

In 2004, Johnson served as President of "No Casinos", a statewide coalition opposed to the expansion of gambling in Florida.

The Engel candidacy is part of a broader coalition opposed to the Bronx Democratic leadership.

A coalition opposed to President Bush's troop buildup plan says it is organizing 300 events across the country this week, trying to persuade, or pester, members of Congress.

But a coalition opposed to hunting mounted a campaign after the council first proposed the bear hunt in March.

Despite being in the minority in the Senate, Laxalt helped build a coalition opposed to the Panama Canal Treaties.