1.1 The inland wetlands and watercourses of the City of Shelton are an indispensable and irreplaceable but fragile natural resource with which the citizens of the City have been endowed. The wetlands and watercourses are an interrelated web of nature essential to an adequate supply of surface and underground water, to hydrological stability and control of flooding and erosion; to the recharging and purification of groundwater, and to the existence of many forms of animal, aquatic and plant life. Many inland wetlands and watercourses have been destroyed or are in danger of destruction because of unregulated use by reason of the deposition, filling or removal of material, the diversion or obstruction of water flow, the erection of structures and other uses, all of which have despoiled, polluted and eliminated wetlands and watercourses. Such unregulated activity has had, and will continue to have, a significant adverse impact on the environment and ecology of the City of Shelton and has and will continue to imperil the quality of the environment thus adversely affecting the ecological, scenic, historic and recreational values and benefits of the City for its citizens now and forever more. The preservation and protection of the wetlands and watercourses from random, unnecessary, undesirable and unregulated uses, disturbance or destruction is in the public interest and is essential to health, welfare and safety of the citizens of Shelton. It is, therefore, the purpose of these regulations to protect the citizens of the City of Shelton by making provisions for the protection, preservation, maintenance and use of the inland wetlands and watercourses by minimizing their disturbance and pollution; maintaining and improving water quality in accordance with the highest standards set by federal, state of local authority, preventing damage from erosion, turbidity or siltation; preventing loss of fish and other beneficial aquatic organisms; preventing loss of wildlife and vegetation and prevention of the destruction of the natural habitats thereof, deterring and inhibiting the danger of flood and pollution; protecting the quality of wetlands watercourses for their conservation, economic, aesthetic, recreational and other public and private uses and values; and protecting Shelton's potable freshwater supplies from the dangers of drought, overdraft, pollution, misuse and mismanagement by providing and orderly process to balance the need for the economic growth of the City and the use of its land with the need to protect its environment and ecology in order to forever guarantee to the people of Shelton, the safety of such natural resources for their benefit and enjoyment and for the benefit and enjoyment of generations yet unborn.

1.2 These regulations shall be known as the "Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Regulations of the City of Shelton".

1.3 The Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency of the City of Shelton was established in accordance with ordinance #195 adopted October 16, 1973 and shall implement the purposes and provisions of the Inland wetlands and Watercourses Public Act #155, 1972, in the City of Shelton.

1.4 These regulations have been adopted and may be amended, from time to time, in accordance with the provisions of the Wand Wetlands and Watercourses Act and these regulations.

1.5 The agency shall enforce all provisions of the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Act and shall issue with conditions or modifications, or deny applications for all regulated activities on inland wetlands and watercourses in the City of Shelton pursuant to Section 22a-36 to 22a-45, inclusive of the Connecticut General Statutes, as amended.