The NAACP is planning to sue Elon Musk’s xAI over environmental concerns related to its Tennessee supercomputer facility, the group said in a letter shared online and sent to xAI Tuesday. The civil rights group said air pollution related to at least 35 combustion turbines at the facility — operating without proper permits — negatively impacts nearby Black communities. Unless the company addresses the issues, the NAACP, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, said it will sue under the Clean Air Act.
The proposed lawsuit highlights ongoing rifts between AI companies building data centers and the neighborhoods they operate in. Environmental concerns are a key talking point for community members opposing the construction, but there’s limited data to prove harmful emissions. While not all data centers use these same turbines, a high-profile case could still give credence to the NIMBY movement.
“We cannot afford to normalize this kind of environmental injustice — where billion-dollar companies set up polluting operations in Black neighborhoods without any permits and think they’ll get away with it because the people don’t have the power to fight back,” said NAACP CEO Derrick Johnson.
In a statement per the Associated Press, xAI said, “The temporary power generation units are operating in compliance with all applicable laws,” and the turbines will utilize new technology that reduces emissions. The Colossus data center is already benefiting Memphis by boosting the city’s economy, adding tax revenue, and creating jobs, xAI said.