There are allegations that the data center of the artificial intelligence company xAI, located in the southern region of Memphis, Tennessee, USA, has been operating nearly double the number of gas turbines than originally planned, leading to air pollution. Environmental groups have urged legal action, claiming that the facility is emitting large quantities of harmful substances without the necessary permits.
According to a recent report by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), the xAI facility is currently operating 35 gas turbines, significantly exceeding the originally approved scale. These turbines can emit up to 2,100 tons of nitrogen oxides per year, which is classified under federal regulations as a “major air pollutant source” that requires special permits and pollution control equipment, standards that have reportedly not been adhered to.
The pollutants emitted from the facility include harmful chemical compounds like formaldehyde, which can cause smog and negatively impact respiratory health. This area already records high rates of respiratory disease and low life expectancy, raising concerns that additional pollution could pose a severe threat to the health of local residents.
As the issue came to light, local residents and environmental organizations took immediate action. The SELC demanded the halting of xAI’s unauthorized operations, the imposition of fines, and denied new permit applications, submitting relevant data to the jurisdiction’s health authorities. The “Memphis Air Pollution Opposition Coalition” held a press conference highlighting the corporate irresponsible behavior’s infringement on the community’s environmental and health rights.
Additionally, citizen Hailey Thomas started an online petition titled “Remove the supercomputer from Memphis,” to push for the decommissioning of the facility and draw attention to the long-standing issue of environmental inequality in southern Memphis.
Experts predict that xAI’s operational methods likely constitute a violation of the U.S. Clean Air Act, suggesting the possibility of hefty fines and legal repercussions amounting to millions of dollars.
