Environmental groups on Friday won their bid to put on hold federal and state authorizations for a natural gas project in Tennessee after the Sixth Circuit said irreparable harm could occur otherwise.

The Cumberland Project includes a 32-mile gas pipeline being constructed by Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co., a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan Inc., expected to provide natural gas to the Tennessee Valley Authority.

The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit paused the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s order issuing a water quality certification and the construction permit from the Army Corps of Engineers.

The Sierra …