Elon Musk’s xAI data center in Memphis has been granted an air permit to continue operating its methane gas turbines, despite protests from local residents and environmental activists. The permit allows the data center to power Musk’s Grok chatbot and Colossus, a gigantic supercomputer, while violating the Clean Air Act. Local health department officials say the permit is necessary for the facility to operate, but critics argue it ignores the serious health impacts of toxic pollution on the community.
The xAI data center, located in Boxtown, a historically Black neighborhood, has been plagued by air quality issues since its opening last year. Residents have reported difficulty breathing and experiencing symptoms similar to asthma due to high levels of methane gas emissions. Local activists claim that the permit decision ignores concerns about environmental racism and the legacy of pollution left behind by the Allen Fossil Plant, an electrical facility that closed in 2018.
The Memphis Community Against Pollution has expressed outrage over the permit, citing public comments from over 1,000 residents demanding protection from toxic pollution. The Southern Environmental Law Center plans to sue xAI for violating the Clean Air Act, with a possibility of all turbines being shut down due to their expired permit.
Source: https://futurism.com/elon-musk-pollution-permit