The lawsuit involving the civil rights group NAACP against xAI, founded by Elon Musk, has gained the attention of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the state of Mississippi. The DOJ has moved to intervene, asserting that the case poses a risk to national security. The NAACP originally filed the lawsuit in April, claiming that xAI operated 27 methane gas turbines near Memphis without the necessary air permits, which they allege violates the Clean Air Act.
These gas turbines, which power the Colossus 2 data center, are linked to environmental concerns due to their emissions of harmful pollutants, including fine particulate matter and formaldehyde. The NAACP highlighted that the Memphis area already suffers from significant asthma rates, making the operation of these turbines particularly alarming. In response to the ongoing situation, the NAACP has requested the court to halt the turbines' operations and impose financial penalties on xAI.
Despite the lawsuit, reports indicated that xAI increased the number of turbines to 57 by mid-May. The DOJ has argued that the NAACP's actions could jeopardize American energy security by disrupting power supplies essential for advancements in artificial intelligence that support military operations.