Affairs Law Research Articles

Strategic Safety Management Plan for Wind River Indian Reservation

For years fatal and injury crashes have been documented as being higher for Native Americans than for any other groups across the United States. Studies have been performed to determine the trends and to identify ways to assist tribes in improving their traffic safety. Tribal transportation stakeholders recognize the many factors that contribute to this problem, including lack of resources, lack of crash data, and crash data accuracy. Tribal sovereignty presents a challenge in working across jurisdictional lines with state and local agencies. Strategic highway safety plans are required for states and also provide an opportunity for tribes to accomplish their goals in reducing fatal and serious-injury crashes. Communication and collaboration across jurisdictional lines are vital to the success of a strategic highway safety plan for a tribal government. The Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR) was selected for one of three pilot tribal transportation safety management plans, a program instituted by FHWA to assist tribes in developing their own strategic plan. The WRIR has had great success in establishing cooperation among stakeholders and, with the support of committed tribal leadership, is working toward the goal of reducing fatal and serious-injury crashes. Key to the success of the safety management plan is collaboration among safety stakeholders, namely, the state departments of transportation, tribal leadership, local technical assistance program, Tribal Technical Assistance Program, Bureau of Indian Affairs, local and tribal law enforcement, Indian Health Services, and others.

Challenges in Marine Affairs Management under the New Chinese Leadership

The Xi administration has established a new task force for high-level coordination and policy promulgation of maritime affairs. The move further echoes Beijing's determination to pursue new policies to establish China into a new marine power. Beijing is restructuring its marine affairs administration and law enforcement as its first step. Yet, challenges remain on tackling the different departmental interests and the culture of intra-agency competition for central budget and policy support.

II. Justice and Home Affairs

Since the last note on Current Developments in this area, the Amsterdam Treaty has entered into force on 1 May 1999, leading to a number of important developments in the legal system governing EU Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) law. In addition, the Court of Justice has clarified several aspects of the relationship between the first and third pillars.

Secretary of Interior v. California: should continental shelf lease sales be subject to consistency review? : Fitzgerald, E.A., 1985. Boston Coll. environ. Affairs Law Rev., 12(3):425–471

Secretary of Interior v. California: should continental shelf lease sales be subject to consistency review? : Fitzgerald, E.A., 1985. Boston Coll. environ. Affairs Law Rev., 12(3):425–471

Cleaning up Boston Harbor: fact or fiction? : Doneski, David, 1985. Boston Coll. environ. Affairs Law Rev., 12(3):559–625

Cleaning up Boston Harbor: fact or fiction? : Doneski, David, 1985. Boston Coll. environ. Affairs Law Rev., 12(3):559–625

Diplomatic Affairs and International Law, 1913

War has marked the year 1913; and charges and countercharges as to alleged atrocities by belligerents have been rife. Treaties were drawn to be promptly torn up; and solemn declarations of intention and policy often proved futile. The existence of internal disorder and the outbreak of domestic revolutions in several countries have also exerted disturbing influences on international relations. The result was economic loss and diplomatic tension even well beyond the field of military operations. And these conditions have led to renewed activity in the struggle for concessions and investment in renascent communities. Racial and religious sentiments have also aroused bitter feeling; while political leaders in several countries compel renewed consideration of the weight of individuals in the determination of the world's affairs.In large part the problems of 1913 were historic; but in part they were affected by apparently impending changes which we cannot as yet define. Thus the influence of socialism and of various forms of radical thought on international relations is a factor. The adoption of oil as a naval fuel, the opening of the Panama Canal, the plans for administrative reorganization of Turkey, and its capitalistic development, the renewed debate as to the Monroe doctrine, and the problem of China are all matters whose future significance scarcely concern us here; but their influence in the past year has been unquestionably great. We cannot estimate as yet the true value of many recommendations touching various fields of international coöperation; and the value of delay in international action still remains in dispute. So on the whole the year 1913 has apparently been the year of the cynic.

Diplomatic Affairs and International Law, 1912

The dominant fact in foreign affairs in the year 1912 was the existence of the wars against Turkey. Turkey in Europe, and the entire Balkan region, had long been looked upon as the powder barrel of Europe. Anxiety concerning the future of this region had become a constant fear in European diplomacy, and although scares were of frequent occurrence, the nerves of Europe did not seem to get accustomed to them. Every war-cloud arising in that region seemed to threaten a storm that would sweep the entire continent. It was, therefore, natural that when Italy became involved in a war with Turkey, European policy should be full of apprehensions, and should exert itself to the utmost to tide over the dangerous situation. It did secure the limitation of the area of hostilities during the war over Tripoli, but its efforts to prevent the Balkan states from taking advantage of the opportunities afforded were fruitless, and the future seemed very uncertain, indeed. But when war had been begun, the action of the Balkan allies revealed an organization so effective, a management so capable, that a new status was almost immediately created in the Balkan region.

Diplomatic Affairs and International Law 1911

The year 1911 was characterized during its latter half by unusually high tension among the great powers of Europe. Latent rivalries and ambitions came to the surface in such a way as not only to endanger and even directly to disturb the peace of the world at the present time but also to threaten even graver complications for the future. Although in the controversies of the year interests of prime importance were not involved, yet the continued suspense and friction resulted in a very decided aggravation of international rivalry, and served especially to render more acute the chronic mutual suspicion between Great Britain and Germany. Consequently, notwithstanding all the efforts which had been made to bring about a better understanding and eventually to secure mutual engagements with respect to a limitation of armaments and a reduction of the tremendous burden of military preparation, there has developed a situation which is for the present very unpromising. In fact new efforts are being made still further to increase armaments, and the temper in which European nations find themselves is only too favorable to further exertions in this direction.

Diplomatic Affairs and International Law, 1910

The year 1910 continued the era of peace and comparative quiet in international affiairs which the world has enjoyed since the end of the Russo-Japanese War. The electoral and party struggles in Great Britain, involving fundamental constitutional issues, the revolutionary changes in Portugal, the political and social unrest in Spain, the development of the constitutional régime in Turkey, are indeed all facts which considered separately are of the highest interest and which in their joint effect will exert a profound influence also in the field of international relations. But as to these latter themselves, they were free from startling features and dramatic climaxes such as delight the journalist and the war-scare monger. This is not to say that things of the highest significance were not accomplished, that understandings of moment were not given definite form during this year; even some unexpected things came about, but, on the whole, international relations were placid and followed the quiet course of natural development. Yet to the careful observer of international affairs the situations and tendencies that have appeared to the view during this year are of the highest significance. Indeed it may almost be said that some entirely new principles in the action of world politics have been revealed through the groupings and relations of the powers as effected in 1910.

Diplomatic Affairs and International Law, 1909

The year 1909 was not characterized by great dramatic occurrences like the Boxer outbreak of 1900 or the war of 1904. Although its history abounded in most interesting situations, it was a period rather of peaceful development and readjustment than of marked advance along any particular lines. The general, desire to maintain peaceful relations and to settle such differences as might still be outstanding between nations was evidenced by the large number of ceremonial visits from country to country—visits of monarchs and prime ministers, of commercial and literary deputations, and of distinguished private individuals. All the important European nations took part in this exchange of courtesies which gave occasion in each case to eloquent declarations of mutual friendship. In general, no special political importance could be attributed to such visits beyond the common desire of keeping relations in their normal, friendly condition. In certain cases, indeed, the attempt was made to attribute a special importance; as in the case of the visit of the Russian czar to Italy, which was interpreted in some quarters as an attempt to break up the Triple Alliance. Other meetings again were characterized by very unusual cordiality, such as that of the German emperor, and later of the German prime minister, with the emperor of Austria.