A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked construction on a new pipeline meant to deliver gas to a proposed power plant in Tennessee.
Construction on the pipeline, which would extend through Dickson, Houston, and Stewart counties, could have begun as soon as Oct. 15, according to the Associated Press. A 2-1 decision this week by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals put a stay on the approval of two permits needed to build the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company project.
The pipeline is intended to deliver gas to a planned 1,450-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant at the site of the coal-fired Cumberland Fossil Plant, operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The TVA plans to shut down two coal-fired units at the plant – one by 2026 and another by 2028.
The Sierra Club, the Southern Environmental Law Center, and Appalachian Mountain Advocates had asked the appeals court to review permits issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Oral arguments in the case are scheduled for Dec. 10.
“This pause is a crucial opportunity to rethink the risks of fossil fuel development and prioritize the health and environment of Cumberland and our region.” said Emily Sherwood, Sierra Club senior campaign organizer, said in an Oct. 14 news release.
