Memphis supercomputer powered Iran war effort, agency says as it tries to halt lawsuit
Federal agencies are attempting to halt a lawsuit against xAI's Colossus supercomputers in Memphis, arguing their technology is crucial for national security operations. Environmental groups and the NAACP are suing xAI over pollution from an unpermitted power plant in Southaven, Mississippi, that powers the Memphis data centers, citing Clean Air Act violations and high nitrogen oxide emissions. Mississippi's Governor supports xAI, stating temporary turbines are exempt from certain Clean Air Act permits.
The Department of Justice and other federal agencies are actively working to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the NAACP and environmental groups against Elon Musk's xAI and its affiliates. The lawsuit targets pollution concerns stemming from the gas turbines in Southaven, Mississippi, which power xAI's Colossus supercomputers located in Memphis, Tennessee. Federal officials argue that the technology, specifically the Colossus 2 supercomputer in Memphis's Whitehaven neighborhood, is critical for national security and military operations, having been used to train and upgrade Grok AI tools for deployments like "Operation Epic Fury."
Cameron Stanley, Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer with the Department of War (formerly Department of Defense), stated that shutting down Colossus 2 would impair the department's ability to meet its national security mission and keep pace with adversaries. He described xAI as a "primary classified compute infrastructure provider" for the department.
Conversely, environmental groups, including the Southern Environmental Law Center, allege that xAI is operating an unpermitted power plant with 59 turbines in Southaven, Mississippi, in clear violation of the Clean Air Act. They claim the plant emits over 5,300 tons of nitrogen oxides annually, significantly contributing to smog. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, however, has urged the DOJ and EPA to intervene, asserting that state regulators authorized temporary, mobile turbines, which he claims are exempt from the Clean Air Act's permitting requirements, and highlighting xAI's $20 billion investment in the state.