NAACP sues Elon Musk's xAI over Memphis data center air pollution

The NAACP has filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company, xAI, accusing it of violating the Clean Air Act with its use of natural gas-burning turbines to power data centers in and around Memphis, Tennessee. The suit, filed on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, alleges that xAI and its subsidiary MZX Tech, LLC, installed and operated 27 gas turbines in Southaven, Mississippi, between August and December 2025, "without an air permit or regard for the health and safety of people living nearby." These turbines are said to emit smog-forming pollutants and particulate matter, leading to increased health risks and unpleasant odors. Abre' Conner, NAACP Director of Environmental and Climate Justice, stated that the organization is seeking declaratory and injunctive relief, demanding that xAI cease operating its "Colossus Gas Plant" until the necessary permits are secured and pollution controls are implemented, along with civil penalties. xAI, now owned by SpaceX after a merger this year, has been operating these turbines at its Southaven facility for months, claiming they are for temporary use and thus do not require a federal permit. The company also operates "Colossus 1" and "Colossus 2" data centers in Memphis, Tennessee, and plans to build another data center, "Macrohardrr," and a more permanent power plant with 41 natural gas-burning turbines in Southaven. The lawsuit highlights that tens of thousands of people, disproportionately Black, live near xAI's power plant. Separately, the NAACP is urging Mississippi state regulators to revoke a permit granted to xAI in March for the construction of its massive permanent power plant in Southaven. xAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The NAACP is represented by Earthjustice and the Southern Environmental Law Center in this case.