• NAACP has filed an intent to sue Elon Musk’s AI company xAI over air pollution from gas turbines.
• The supercomputer facility is located near predominantly Black communities in Memphis.
• Opponents claim the facility has been operating without proper permits and violates the Clean Air Act.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has announced plans to sue Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI over air pollution concerns related to its supercomputer facility in Memphis, Tennessee. The facility has been operating gas turbines that emit pollution without first applying for the necessary air quality permits, although the company claimed an exemption allowed operations for up to 364 days. Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) attorney Patrick Anderson stated that no such exemption exists for turbines and that the operation has exceeded permissible limits according to the Clean Air Act, raising significant health concerns for local residents who face heightened cancer risks due to the facility's emissions, according to Huffpost and LA Times.

xAI has reported that the turbines will be equipped with technology aimed at reducing emissions and the company claims it has made significant investments in the local economy, such as billions for the facility, millions in local taxes, and hundreds of job opportunities. Furthermore, they are committing $35 million for a power substation and $80 million for a water recycling plant to support local utilities. However, critics argue that the increase in emissions threatens local air quality, which is already compromised, and that the company installed more turbines than were authorized, according to India Times and The Hill.

The SELC, representing the NAACP, has criticized the lack of oversight and claimed that xAI's operations have added to the pollution burden of a community that historically deals with industrial contamination. This includes the Boxtown neighborhood, which already experiences a cancer risk estimated to be four times above the national average. Recent public comments submitted over the facility's permit have reached approximately 1,700, reflecting widespread concern among residents, according to Newsweek and LA Times.