(Reuters) – A U.S. appeals court on Friday placed on hold approvals and permits needed to allow a Kinder Morgan subsidiary to construct a 32-mile gas pipeline in Tennessee, on the urging of environmental groups.

The proposed Cumberland Project, set to be constructed by Kinder Morgan’s Tennessee Gas Pipeline, could transport about 245,000 dekatherms per day of additional natural gas to power supplier Tennessee Valley Authority.

On a 2-1 vote, Cincinnati-based sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals put a hold on the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s order issuing a water quality certification and the Army Corps of Engineers’ issuance of a permit.

The request for a stay was filed by environmental organizations Appalachian Voices and Sierra Club, which claimed the pipeline’s construction could have detrimental impact on the environment.

The court said a stay was appropriate for it to have the time to think concerning the merits of the environmental groups’ case.

It said further arguments inside the case could be heard in December.

A Kinder Morgan spokesperson said the company doesn’t agree with the court’s decision, which it should proceed to review while evaluating its options.

Appalachian Voices and Sierra Club didn’t immediately reply to Reuters’ requests for comment.

(Reporting by Vallari Srivastava in Bengaluru and Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Shreya Biswas)