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9h ago

NAACP Sues xAI Over Unpermitted Gas Turbines at Memphis Data Center

The NAACP alleges xAI violated the Clean Air Act by operating unpermitted methane turbines near South Memphis communities.

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An aerial view of the xAI Colossus data center in Memphis, Tennessee, shows some of the mobile gas-fired generators used to power the supercomputer. A lawsuit on behalf of the NAACP claims the turbines are polluting the nearby residents and that Elon Musk's company lacks air quality permits.
Rep. Justin J. Pearson, D-Tenn., seen here at an April rally in opposition to xAI's facility, joined the NAACP at a news conference Tuesday to announce its intent to sue.
A 3D-printed miniature model of Elon Musk and the xAI logo are seen in this illustration taken January 23, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Overview

  • On June 17, the NAACP filed a notice of intent to sue xAI for Clean Air Act violations tied to air pollution from its Memphis supercomputer facility.
  • A Southern Environmental Law Center letter claims xAI installed up to 35 methane turbines without obtaining required federal permits or best available pollution controls.
  • Experts warn emissions from the turbines have worsened Memphis’s already poor air quality and exposed nearby residents to cancer risks up to four times the national average.
  • xAI says its temporary power units comply with all applicable laws and highlights billions of dollars in local investments, hundreds of jobs and infrastructure projects.
  • The pending lawsuit could trigger tighter regulatory oversight of energy-intensive AI data centers that rely on on-site fossil fuel power as clean-energy builds out.