BINGHAMTON – The leader of a joint coalition of Southern Tier landowners soundly objected to another delay in the process for completing New York’s regulations for natural gas exploration.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation announced a one-month extension yesterday for the public to comment on the draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement. The move is a continuation of the existing four-year ban on permitting wells that would require the process known as high water hydraulic fracturing in order to release gas from fissures in shale formations.

Dan Fitzsimmons, president of the Joint Landowners Coalition of New York, Inc. (of which the Norwich-based Central New York Landowners is a member) said he was disappointed that the DEC extended the comment period into the New Year.

“The DEC continues to show preference to various special interest groups while ignoring the needs of landowners - a decision that is not without consequence. Every day the process is delayed results in a loss of income for landowners and communities who have held on as long as possible in desperate economic times – despite high taxes, depressed agricultural profits, few jobs and little opportunity,” Fitzsimmons said.