NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—The Rutgers Board of Governors has agreed to allow a neighboring pharmaceutical company to construct a gas pipeline underneath a sliver of the school’s Cook Campus. 

Bristol-Myers Squibb, which operates a large research and development facility adjacent to the campus, is paying Rutgers $48,ooo to construct the gas pipeline, and a metering station on their property. 

The pipeline and metering station will serve the corporate facility, which is located on Route 1 and straddles the border between New Brunswick and North Brunswick.

Rutgers granted a permanent easement to Bristol-Myers Squibb to use 0.2 acres of campus property in addition to another quarter-acre for construction purposes. 

The property in question is located on College Farm Road on Cook Campus near the agricultural research farm. 

The pipeline deal comes as New Jerseyans are increasingly concerned over plans for much bigger pipelines, such as a proposed natural gas line proposed by Transco Williams here in Middlesex County.

If built, the Transco pipeline will stretch 26 miles under the Raritan River, and through several towns including South Brunswick, Franklin Township, South Amboy, Old Bridge, and Sayreville.