Judge Says Trump’s DOJ Can’t Get a Citizen Lawsuit Against xAI Dismissed
A federal judge ruled that the Justice Department may intervene in a citizen lawsuit accusing xAI of operating gas-fired generators for its Mississippi data center without required permits. The judge rejected the department’s request to dismiss the case, allowing the NAACP’s Clean Air Act claims to proceed.
U.S. District Court Judge Debra Brown ruled that the Justice Department can participate in a lawsuit brought by the NAACP against xAI, but cannot unilaterally dismiss the case. The lawsuit alleges that xAI built and operated gas-fired generators to supply power to its Mississippi data center in violation of the Clean Air Act and Mississippi law.
The NAACP is seeking emissions-control equipment, compliance with permitting requirements and civil penalties of up to $124,426 per day for each violation. The Justice Department and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves argued that the penalties could threaten the data center’s operations and cited national-security concerns tied to xAI’s AI services for the Defense Department, but Judge Brown said those concerns did not justify dismissing the citizen suit.