The Tennessee Valley Authority began retiring its coal plants shortly after its Kingston facility released a billion gallons of toxic ash into the environment nearly two decades ago. TVA was nearing the end, with just four coal plants remaining; the largest and most polluting in the fleet, Cumberland Fossil Plant, was on track to close at least partially this year as the utility finished building a multi-billion-dollar gas plant next door.
Now, TVA plans to keep burning coal there — and some environmental groups are taking legal action.
The Southern Environmental Law Center revealed Friday that it plans to sue the federal utility for violating the Clean Air Act with its new plan…