§ 113A-31. Declaration of policy.
§ 113A‑31. Declaration of policy.
The General Assembly finds that certain rivers of North Carolinapossess outstanding natural, scenic, educational, geological, recreational,historic, fish and wildlife, scientific and cultural values of great presentand future benefit to the people. The General Assembly further finds as policythe necessity for a rational balance between the conduct of man and thepreservation of the natural beauty along the many rivers of the State. Thispolicy includes retaining the natural and scenic conditions in some of theState's valuable rivers by maintaining them in a free‑flowing state andto protect their water quality and adjacent lands by retaining these naturaland scenic conditions. It is further declared that the preservation of certainrivers or segments of rivers in their natural and scenic condition constitutesa beneficial public purpose. (1971, c. 1167, s. 2.)