Data Center · Elon Musk · xAI · CNBC Technology
NAACP sues Elon Musk's xAI over Memphis data center air pollution
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The NAACP filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk 's xAI on Tuesday, accusing the artificial intelligence company of violating the Clean Air Act with its use of natural gas-burning turbines to power data centers in and around Memphis, Tennessee.
Key facts
- The NAACP filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk 's xAI on Tuesday, accusing the artificial intelligence company of violating the Clean Air Act with its use of natural gas-burning turbines to power data
- The NAACP is seeking declaratory and injunctive relief for the companies to "cease operating the Colossus Gas Plant unless and until they obtain the required permits; to apply the necessary pollution
- Our right to clean air is not up for negotiation, especially when companies prove expediency not people is their priority," Abre' Conner, NAACP Director of Environmental and Climate Justice, said
- XAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment
Summary
The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, alleges that between August and December 2025, xAI and its subsidiary MZX Tech, LLC, installed and operated 27 gas turbines in Southaven, Mississippi, "without an air permit or regard for the health and safety of people living nearby. The turbines emit smog-forming pollutants and particulate matter that can lead to increased health risks and an unpleasant odor, among other things. The NAACP is seeking declaratory and injunctive relief for the companies to "cease operating the Colossus Gas Plant unless and until they obtain the required permits; to apply the necessary pollution controls; and to pay appropriate civil penalties for each day of violation.