NAACP Planning To Sue Elon Musk's xAI Over Air Pollution In Memphis

The NAACP said it's planning to sue Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company, xAI, alleging that its supercomputer facility is polluting the air in Memphis.

On Tuesday (June 17), the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) sent a letter to xAI on behalf of the NAACP, informing the company that it intends to sue over its continued use of methane gas turbines in southwest Memphis, per NBC News.

According to the NAACP and SELC, the supercomputer facility, which opened in June 2024, is located near predominantly Black communities in Memphis, and its turbines are pumping hazardous materials into the air, violating the Clean Air Act.

“The law is abundantly clear. XAI needed to get an air permit before installing and operating any of the turbines at their facility,” SELC attorney Patrick Anderson said in a statement. “Over the last year, these turbines have pumped out pollution that threatens the health of Memphis families.”

Some officials have argued that an exemption allowed xAI to operate the turbines without a permit for up to 364 days. Anderson said no such exemption exists for turbines.

“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. We will not allow xAI to get away with this,” NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement.

The group cited studies showing that Boxtown, the neighborhood closest to the xAI data center, faces a cancer risk four times the national average.

In a statement, a spokesperson for xAI said the company is “operating in compliance with all applicable laws."

“We take our commitment to the community and environment seriously,” the spokesperson said.

The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.