The Associated Press

The state agency charged with protecting the environment is suing the Tennessee Valley Authority over its coal-burning power plant in Gallatin.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, claims unlined storage ponds used to dispose of coal ash are leaking contaminants into local groundwater.

The lawsuit asks the Davidson County Chancery Court to issue a permanent injunction that requires TVA to comply with laws governing solid waste disposal and water quality. It also seeks civil penalties of up to $17,000 per day for violations. Those penalties could be issued retroactively for violations that stretch back years.

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