Mississippi environmental officials will conduct a public hearing Tuesday regarding Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI and its controversial plans to construct a gas-powered facility for its expanding Colossus II data center operations.
The NAACP has threatened legal action against the tech company, claiming it violated federal environmental regulations by installing and running gas turbines without obtaining required air quality permits.
Speaking for the predominantly African American community residing near the original Colossus I facility in Memphis, Tennessee, the civil rights organization alleges that xAI unlawfully began installing and then operating 27 gas turbines at a location in Southaven, Mississippi. These turbines are intended to supply power to Colossus II, which sits just across the Tennessee state border in Memphis.
According to the NAACP, the company failed to secure the mandatory preconstruction and operating air permits mandated under the Clean Air Act.
The civil rights group warned in their lawsuit notification letter that “Pollution from these turbines is worsening and will continue to worsen the already poor air quality in Southaven, Mississippi and the Memphis metropolitan area.”
xAI representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
The NAACP contends that these turbines could release substantial quantities of nitrogen oxides that contribute to smog formation, exceeding Clean Air Act thresholds for “major source” designation. The organization also cited concerns about other harmful emissions, including fine particulate matter and cancer-causing formaldehyde, which would negatively impact the surrounding predominantly African American neighborhoods.
Federal Clean Air Act regulations mandate that potential plaintiffs provide 60 days’ advance notice before filing lawsuits.
The company has been aggressively expanding its Colossus supercomputer system, which serves as the training platform for xAI’s Grok artificial intelligence chatbot. The project spans Memphis and Southaven locations, currently operating in its second phase while seeking approval to launch a third expansion.
Following a similar legal challenge in 2024 from the Southern Environmental Law Center representing the NAACP regarding 35 unpermitted turbines at the original Colossus 1 location, xAI removed 20 turbines and secured proper permits for the remaining 15 units.
Tuesday’s Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality hearing represents the sole opportunity for community members to provide input on the project, which SELC characterizes as the largest new pollution source in the greater Memphis region in recent years.
State environmental officials confirmed that xAI has filed permit applications for 41 permanent turbines at the Mississippi site and plans to operate several temporary turbines during the application review process.
