Elon Musk's xAI Gets Trump DOJ Backing In Fight To Keep Gas Turbines Running Near Black Mississippi Homes
The Trump administration's Justice Department is backing Elon Musk's xAI in a Clean Air Act lawsuit filed by the NAACP, seeking to keep unpermitted gas turbines running in Southaven, Mississippi. The DOJ cites national security concerns, arguing the turbines power the Pentagon-dependent Grok AI model. Residents and environmental groups are opposing the pollution and noise from the turbines near predominantly Black neighborhoods, asserting environmental justice concerns.
The Trump administration's Justice Department has moved to shield Elon Musk's xAI from a civil rights lawsuit filed by the NAACP and its Mississippi State Conference, asking a federal court to allow the company's unpermitted gas turbines to continue operating near predominantly Black neighborhoods in Southaven, Mississippi. The DOJ, intervening on June 15, 2026, argued that shutting down the turbines, which power xAI's Grok artificial intelligence model utilized by the Pentagon for national security applications, would harm national security interests.
The lawsuit, filed on April 14, 2026, by the NAACP, alleges that xAI and its subsidiary MZX Tech installed 27 gas turbines between August and December 2025 at 2875 Stanton Road South in Southaven without the required Clean Air Act permits. These turbines are designed to feed the Colossus 2 data center located nearby in Memphis. Residents and their legal representatives, Earthjustice and the Southern Environmental Law Center, have called the DOJ's intervention an unprecedented "power grab," emphasizing that the turbines are a significant source of smog-forming nitrogen oxides and contribute to environmental injustice in the area, reminiscent of previous clashes over similar turbines at Colossus 1 in south Memphis.
The NAACP has requested the court to shut down the Southaven plant, mandate the best available pollution controls, and impose daily penalties for violations. Despite the request for a preliminary injunction, xAI continued adding units, bringing the turbine count to 57. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves also supported xAI, citing approximately $20 billion in state investment. xAI separately sought dismissal, claiming the NAACP lacks standing and that Mississippi regulators exempt its portable turbines from permitting, and furthermore, arguing that the Clean Air Act's citizen-suit provision is unconstitutional. Residents have also initiated a separate class action this month over constant noise and vibration.
A hearing on the preliminary injunction is anticipated in the coming weeks, with the court yet to rule on the DOJ's intervention or xAI's motion to dismiss. The ongoing legal and environmental battle highlights the tension between economic development, national security interests, and community environmental justice concerns.