By POLITICO’s Mona Zhang: 

The New Jersey Tidelands Resource Council approved a controversial license for the Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline project Wednesday. The approval comes after a major push by environmental advocates, local elected officials and concerned residents who called on the council not to approve the application from pipeline developer Williams Transco.

Jane Fonda weighed into the fight this week, penning a letter to Gov. Mikie Sherrill, urging her to “exercise leadership on this issue.”

The council defended its impending decision ahead of its vote, after hearing hours of public comment opposing the pipeline. Council member Joe Grabas pointed to the permits and certifications already issued by the Department of Environmental Protection and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the project. “We are not the experts in that area. We deal with land transactions,” Grabas said

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