Posted on 06/17/2025 10:57:07 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
June 17 (Reuters) - The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on Tuesday sent a notice to billionaire Elon Musk's xAI, signaling its intention to sue the company over air pollution from the AI startup's data center in Memphis.
The letter, sent by Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) on NAACP's behalf, alleges xAI has violated federal law by using methane gas turbines at its South Memphis data center without acquiring permits or "best available" pollution controls.
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Data centers that provide computing power for AI are highly power-intensive and require round-the-clock electricity. Given the slow pace of clean-energy deployments, the surging demand is being met by fossil fuels including natural gas and coal.
Methane emissions from human activities such as oil and gas production, electricity generation and agriculture are short-lived in the atmosphere, but are often more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas.
Emissions from xAI's data center further exacerbate the already poor air quality in Memphis, SELC said.
"These turbines have pumped out pollution that threatens the health of Memphis families. This notice paves the way for a lawsuit that can hold xAI accountable for its unlawful refusal to get permits for its gas turbines," SELC Senior Attorney Patrick Anderson said.
"We take our commitment to the community and environment seriously. The temporary power generation units are operating in compliance with all applicable laws," an xAI spokesman told Reuters.
The AI company has installed 35 turbines, nearly all of which were running without the required permits as of April, SELC said.
The SELC added that while xAI had removed some smaller turbines, the company recently installed three larger turbines.
The environmental legal advocacy organization said in August that xAI...
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
“Standing” anyone???
The smoke isn’t the only black thing here.
Give us some money and we’ll racially bless you!
Amazing how “pollution” is racist and knows only to attack “colored people.”
The Memphis problem is Black pollution
Yep, just another shakedown. Jesse Jackson must be proud.
The US courts have become a joke and have no relation to “justice”.
The paper mill consumes more gas than the entire city downtown. These shakedown artists need a new gig.
This is the first known case of AI generating an artificial lawsuit.
If necessary, AI will figure out how to battle and win that lawsuit. It’s smarter than humans, you know.
The last thing Memphis needs drawing tech firms to area. /s
Thought it was the Bee but it’s reality
That's a more than fair compromise.
Yes their logic is the same as he could sue them for producing methane gas the shake down is in question.
Ha-Ha....give ‘em what they want!!
Instead of the methane being destroyed by burning, I guess they would rather it be released into the atmosphere?
Why dont they sue all these large blue cities who allow street people to piss, shit , litter and toss their needles into the sewers?
“””””Methane emissions from human activities such as oil and gas production, electricity generation and agriculture are short-lived in the atmosphere, but are often more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas””””
Well thank goodness for Musk burning that methane up and creating carbon dioxide. Much less polluting that way.
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