Tennessee Valley Authority’s construction plans could do long-lasting damage to waterways and wildlife. A federal appeals panel has temporarily halted two permits needed to begin construction on a pipeline project in Tennessee that will supply a natural gas plant.In a split 2-1 decision, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel delivered a ruling Friday that, for now, prevents Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company LLC from starting to build its 32-mile (50-kilometer) pipeline through Dickson, Houston and Stewart counties.The project would fuel the Tennessee Valley Authority’s combined-cycle natural gas facility at the site of the coal-fired Cumberland Fossil Plant that is being retired.Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company could have begun construction as soon as Tuesday, according to the court records.TVA, meanwhile, plans to mothball its two-unit coal plant in two stages—one, by the end of 2026, to be replaced the same year by the 1,450-megawatt natural gas plant; and the second, shuttered by the end of 2028, with options still open on its replacement.“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, a Sierra Club senior campaign organizer, in a news release Monday.TVA’s plans to open more natural gas plants have angered advocates who want a quick redirection away from fossil fuels and into solar and other renewables, as TVA plans to retire its entire coal fleet by the mid-2030s.The case is set for oral arguments on Dec.