Groups appeal permit allowing 41 gas turbines at xAI Southaven data center

The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), representing groups like the NAACP and Safe and Sound Coalition, has filed an appeal against a permit granted to xAI. The permit allows xAI to install 41 gas turbines at its data center in Southaven, Mississippi. The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) issued the permit on March 10, 2026, despite public opposition. The SELC alleges that the MDEQ's decision violated state laws, including the Mississippi Open Meetings Act, and the Clean Air Act. They claim the permit was issued too quickly, disregarding the area's already poor air quality and denying requests for an extension to review the complex permit amid severe winter weather. Community members and activists expressed strong concerns. Shannon Samsa of the Safe and Sound Coalition criticized the MDEQ's rushed approval, citing issues with transparency and accountability. Abre' Connor, NAACP Director of Environmental and Climate Justice, stated that xAI's facility poses unnecessary health risks to residents and called for prioritizing people over corporate expansion. The SELC is seeking a formal evidentiary hearing on the permit.