Elon Musk’s xAI Sued By NAACP Over Memphis Data Centers

The NAACP has initiated legal action against Elon Musk's xAI, filing a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. The civil rights organization alleges that xAI's data centers in Memphis, Tennessee, are operating in violation of the Clean Air Act by installing 27 gas turbines without the required air permits. Abre' Conner, NAACP Director of Environmental and Climate Justice, stated that the right to clean air is non-negotiable and criticized companies prioritizing expediency over public health. The lawsuit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, demanding that xAI cease operations of its "Colossus Gas Plant" until necessary permits and pollution controls are in place, and that the company pay appropriate civil penalties. xAI reportedly uses these turbines, which it claims are temporary, to power its data centers due to the city's insufficient power grid capacity. The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) and EarthJustice are representing the NAACP, noting xAI's alleged history of using unpermitted turbines in low-income, predominantly Black communities. One such community, Boxtown, located near the data center, has a 90% Black population and a median income of $36,000. Shelby County already has high asthma hospitalization rates, and residents, like Alexis Humphreys, have voiced concerns about gas odors and exacerbated breathing difficulties at public hearings. The article highlights growing national opposition to AI data centers due to their environmental impact and minimal long-term job creation, citing examples of public outcry in Chandler, Arizona, and Festus, Missouri, leading to rejections or electoral consequences for officials who approved data center projects.