Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI has been granted a permit to run methane gas generators at its datacenter in Memphis, Tennessee. The Shelby County Health Department approved the permit for 15 machines on Wednesday, sparking outrage from local community leaders and environmental groups.
The generators, which were initially set up without permission, will be used to supplement the facility’s power usage. xAI claimed it had found a loophole in the system that allowed it to use the turbines as long as they were not in the same location for more than 364 days.
However, experts dispute whether xAI’s power usage will actually be low emitting. The Southern Environmental Law Center has conducted studies on the pollution emitted by the turbines and says they have the capacity to emit thousands of tons of nitrogen oxides and toxic chemicals like formaldehyde.
Local residents and environmental groups argue that the permit decision ignores community concerns about air quality. Studies have shown that neighborhoods surrounding the datacenter have higher rates of respiratory diseases, asthma, and lower life expectancy compared to other areas of the city.
The NAACP civil rights group has initiated a lawsuit against xAI, alleging the company is violating the Clean Air Act by installing and operating the methane gas generators without proper permits.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/03/elon-musk-xai-pollution-memphis