South Brunswick Backs Legal Effort Against Transco Pipeline With $32K Pledge

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — The South Brunswick Township Council unanimously adopted a resolution authorizing a municipal contribution of up to $32,000 toward legal expenses tied to ongoing opposition to Compressor Station 206 and the Williams Transco Northeast Supply Enhancement Project, according to Resolution 2026-288.

The funds, drawn from Account No. 01-201-20-110-702, will be paid to the Eastern Environmental Law Center, located at One Gateway Center, Suite 2600, in Newark. The resolution directs the township's Municipal Attorney and Chief Financial Officer to finalize a written agreement establishing permitted use of the funds, billing procedures and reporting requirements before any money is disbursed.

The resolution builds on Resolution 2025-222, adopted June 18, 2025, in which the township first raised concerns about the environmental, public health, safety, land-use and infrastructure impacts of CS 206 and the NESE Project.

It also cites a Sept. 8, 2026 ruling by the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals, which granted a petition against the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's issuance of water permits for the NESE Project.

That case, Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. v. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, et al., was brought by New Jersey plaintiffs represented by the Eastern Environmental Law Center.

According to the resolution, the governing body determined that direct township participation in the litigation would be cost-prohibitive, and that a financial contribution toward the law center's legal expenses is "the most cost-effective means of supporting" the township's interests.

The resolution specifies that funds cannot be used for personal, political, campaign or lobbying purposes, and that any money not reasonably required for the authorized legal work must be returned to the township.

CFO Samantha Rampacek certified the availability of funds, and the Department of Law approved the certification as to form.

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