Final answer:
The arrival of the tannery is the inciting incident in the story, causing environmental conflict.
Step-by-step explanation:
The event that can be best described as the inciting incident is the arrival of the tannery. The inciting incident is the event that sets the main conflict of a story in motion, and in this case, the arrival of the tannery leads to the environmental conflict in the story. The tannery pollutes the river and disrupts the natural balance, causing tension and conflict throughout.
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