1. United States
2. N.J.
3. Letter

RARITAN BAY — A natural gas pipeline that will run for 23 miles under Raritan Bay just got a key final approval this week: On Wednesday, the Tidelands Resource Council (part of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection) granted the pipeline final approval for a utility license. The company needed to obtain this before construction could begin. The pipeline is called the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) project and it will carry natural gas under Raritan Bay. The pipeline will enter the bay in Cliffwood Beach and terminate in Rockaway, Queens. It will be owned and operated by Williams energy company. In total, 3.4 miles of pipeline will be built under the ground in Old Bridge/Sayreville and an additional 23.3 miles of pipe will run under the Raritan Bay seabed, terminating in Rockaway. Support These Local Businesses + List My Business (https://patch.com/new-jersey/middletown-nj/compose/bizpost) The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection already gave Williams all the other permits they need for this pipeline. The project received its water quality permit in November 2025, under Gov. Murphy’s administration, and the state of New Jersey granted them their air permit in January of this year. It now all hinges on Gov. Mikie Sherrill: Her administration must sign off on the decision from the Tidelands Resource Council. The NJ Tidelands Resource Council is a body of twelve members appointed by the governor. Opponents of the pipeline said they are not optimistic. "We think any chance of Sherrill's administration trying to overturn the ruling is unlikely," said Evan Leong, a spokesman for Clean Ocean Action, which is against the pipeline. "Gov. Sherrill hasn't indicated whether she will approve or reject the ruling. But with the project having gained all major approvals from New York and New Jersey, along with yesterday’s TRC vote, Clean Ocean Action is concerned that the project is now closer than ever to moving into construction." Williams is expected to begin construction on the pipeline in the third quarter of 2026, which is July, August and September of this year. Food & Water Watch previously said President Donald Trump made deals with Democratic governors to allow the pipeline to be built. Man Found Unconscious Dies At Island Beach State Park, Officials Say The pipeline will carry natural gas that has been mined (through fracking) in Pennsylvania underneath Raritan Bay to New York state. None of the gas will go to households in New Jersey; it is solely intended for New York state. Williams is the U.S. natural gas giant that owns the Transco pipeline, which runs from the Gulf of Mexico to New York/New Jersey. Williams has tried to build this pipeline at least four times before (in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020) and all their applications were rejected by both the states of New Jersey and New York, saying construction of the pipeline could damage the water quality of Raritan Bay. "This is a step backward for New Jersey. This project will result in dirtier air and polluted water in the Raritan Bay, with no benefits to our state," said Allison McLeod, director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters. A total of 15 towns along Raritan Bay, from Matawan to Sea Bright, passed resolutions opposing the pipeline. The towns are: • Aberdeen • Atlantic Highlands • Hazlet • Highlands • Keyport • Matawan • Monmouth Beach • Monmouth County • Keansburg • Union Beach • Middletown • Old Bridge • Red Bank • Rumson • Sea Bright Prior: 100+ Protest 23-Mile-Long Natural Gas Pipeline Under Raritan Bay