The incident was linked to restrictions imposed in June on correspondents' access to sessions of the Supreme Soviet Presidium, permitting only official agencies and the government paper Rossiskaya gazeta.

Current OMB policy (M-10-22, June 25, 2010) permits agencies, within defined limits, to use persistent cookies to improve the performance of web sites through web analytics and customization technologies.

In California, one of the few states that permits for-profit agencies, they abound.

USOPM regulations permit agencies under certain circumstances to grant permissive continuing and/or temporary exceptions to the normal order of release from competitive levels.

Will the Administration set up some tough enforcement machinery or, as is likely, permit soft-hearted social agencies to monitor this most important task?

"It appears to be really aimed at influencing, if not intimidating, the state permitting agencies," said Donald S. Welch, deputy secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Another issue that complicated the agency's efforts was its limited participation in disaster planning exercises, which permit federal, state and local agencies to test their plans in staged disaster conditions.

"This is surely a moment of opportunity, which must be seized," Mr. Annan said, adding, "A cessation of hostilities would permit humanitarian agencies to gain access to populations in need."

The complex beach and habitat restoration project involved over 10 regulatory and permitting agencies, funding from eight granting agencies and the active participation of eight environmental groups.

But the government ethics office does permit federal agencies to write some of their own rules, and most issues affecting post-government employment must be addressed by Congressional legislation, not by the ethics agency.