§ 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.