The suit claims neglect on the part of the E.P.A. in carrying out the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act, which dictates strict limits on pesticide use.

But must we return to the days when regulators dictated specific limits on pollutants coming from every source, backed by fines and court orders?

"These factors dictate clear limits to the concept of safe areas," he stressed.

Standard flight practice dictates limits on the rate of climb if fuel is low.

"Well," Snyder said gingerly, "the house does dictate limits to the accumulation of objects, because there's no storage."

Pentagon planners wonder whether the two countries could eventually reach an understanding on dictating limits on the American military presence.

"Now you would presume to dictate limits to the Lifemaker again," Groork accused.

One of these powers was establishing licenses for growers of Port wine grapes and dictating limits or "quotas" for what could be harvested.

Both the state prisons and the county jail operate under longstanding Federal court orders that dictate limits on their populations.

Equally, it is difficult to dictate overly specific limits on fishing gear, since an artisanal activity, carried out by small fleets, varies from country to country partly according to the kinds and variety of traditions.