§ 912. Declaration of policy. It is hereby declared to be the public
policy of the state of New York within the coastal areas and inland
waterways:

1. To achieve a balance between economic development and preservation
that will permit the beneficial use of coastal and inland waterway
resources while preventing the loss of living marine resources and
wildlife, diminution of open space areas or public access to the
waterfront, shoreline erosion, impairment of scenic beauty, or permanent
adverse changes to ecological systems.

2. To encourage the development and use of existing ports and small
harbors including use and maintenance of viable existing
infrastructures, and to reinforce their role as valuable components
within the state's transportation and industrial network.

3. To conserve, protect and where appropriate promote commercial and
recreational use of fish and wildlife resources and to conserve and
protect fish and wildlife habitats identified by the department of
environmental conservation as critical to the maintenance or
re-establishment of species of fish or wildlife. Such protection shall
include mitigation of the potential impact from adjacent land use or
development.

4. To encourage and facilitate public access for recreational
purposes.

5. To minimize damage to natural resources and property from flooding
and erosion, including proper location of new land development,
protection of beaches, dunes, barrier islands, bluffs and other critical
coastal and inland waterway features and use of non-structural measures,
whenever possible.

6. To encourage the restoration and revitalization of natural and
man-made resources.

7. To encourage the location of land development in areas where
infrastructure and public services are adequate.

8. To conserve and protect agricultural lands as valued natural and
ecological resources which provide for open spaces, clean air sheds and
aesthetic value as well as for agricultural use.

9. To assure consistency of state actions and, where appropriate,
federal actions, with policies of the coastal area and inland waterways,
and with accepted waterfront revitalization programs of the area defined
or addressed by such programs.

10. To work cooperatively with the federal government, local
governments and private parties to implement programs to control and
abate sources of nonpoint source pollution that may affect coastal and
inland waterways.

11. To cooperate and coordinate with other states, the federal
government and Canada to attain a consistent policy towards coastal and
inland waterway management.

12. To encourage and assist local governments in the coastal area and
inland waterways to use all their powers that can be applied to achieve
these objectives.

13. To facilitate the redevelopment of urban waterfronts.

14. To encourage local governments to enter into intermunicipal
agreements to protect their shared environment and improve their
region's economic strength.

15. To encourage state agencies to provide technical and financial
assistance for implementation of local waterfront revitalization
programs.

16. To encourage local governments and state agencies to celebrate,
protect and enhance the special places that made waterfronts distinct
ecological systems and the preferred locations for people to live, work
and recreate.