Permit for xAI’s data center blatantly violates Clean Air Act, NAACP says

The controversy surrounding xAI's data center in Memphis intensifies as the NAACP has joined forces with other advocacy groups to contest a recently issued permit. They argue that this permit will enable xAI to release significant new pollutants without prior notification. The dispute began last April when thermal imaging suggested that xAI may have been misleading about the number of operational gas turbines at the facility. This revelation raised alarms about potential emissions contributing to smog in the area. By June, the NAACP had escalated the matter, informing the Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) of their intent to take legal action against xAI. The organization aims to ensure that the company engages with residents in historically Black neighborhoods, who they believe are most at risk from pollution generated by the data center. Despite these efforts, the SCHD issued permits for xAI to operate 15 gas turbines on July 2, alongside exemptions the company may not qualify for. The NAACP, together with environmental justice advocates and the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), is now appealing this decision. They are urging the Memphis and Shelby County Air Pollution Control Board to revoke the permit and rescind the exemptions, arguing that the SCHD's actions have violated both the Clean Air Act and local regulations. The SELC's imaging revealed that xAI might be operating as many as 24 turbines, raising further concerns about compliance with pollution control standards. Prior to obtaining the permits, xAI was accused of running at least 35 turbines without the necessary pollution control measures. In their appeal, the NAACP and collaborating organizations contend that the SCHD prioritized xAI's financial interests over the health of Black communities, granting illegal exemptions while neglecting the true scale of xAI's operations, which allegedly began in 2024 but were improperly classified as new in 2025.