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Mississippi Holds Hearing on xAI Data Center Amid Environmental Lawsuit Threat
xAI operates 27 unpermitted gas turbines powering data centers in Southaven, with state and EPA disagreeing on permit requirements amid community health concerns.
- On Feb. 17, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality held a public hearing in Southaven at the M.R. Davis Public Library and Ranger Conference Center on xAI affiliate MZX Tech's permit request for 41 natural gas turbines.
- The EPA's Jan. 15 ruling warned exemptions could leave turbines unregulated, while Mississippi regulators treat them as portable and exempt from permits for 12 months.
- Thermal drone imagery and Floodlight's investigation reveal turbines still operating and emitting heat nearly two weeks after the EPA ruling, while residents report relentless noise between 40 to 60 decibels and worsened respiratory symptoms since at least November.
- Public speakers spent two-and-a-half hours urging MDEQ to deny or delay permit approval, while the Southern Environmental Law Center and Earthjustice filed a Feb. 13 notice of intent to sue.
- With permit stakes high, xAI's filing warns of large annual emissions while officials highlight a $20-billion investment, 145 initial jobs, and Southaven's $83 million budget rising by $20 million by 2028.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Residents oppose xAI Southaven turbines permit at MDEQ hearing
Residents oppose xAI Southaven turbines permit at MDEQ hearing SOUTHAVEN, Miss. (WMC) – The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality heard public comments Tuesday night regarding the environmental impact of the xAI power plant operating in Southaven and the company’s application for permits for 41 natural gas turbines. The public hearing lasted two and a half hours, with every speaker asking MDEQ to deny or delay approval of the permit. M…
Drone Footage Shows Musk's AI Power Plant Flouting Clean Air Regulations in Black Community
This story is from Floodlight, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates the powers stalling climate action, and produced in partnership with The Guardian. Sign up for Floodlight’s newsletter here. Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company is continuing to fuel its data centers with unpermitted gas turbines, according to a Floodlight visual investigation. Thermal drone footage shows xAI is still burning gas at a facility in Southaven, Miss., des…
As Musk’s xAI Data Centers Encroach on Southaven, North Mississippi Residents Push Back
As Elon Musk’s xAI expands its data centers into Southaven, Mississippi, residents are decrying the relentless din of gas turbines and raising concerns about potentially dangerous emissions. “The noise is excruciating and the scenery is gone,” says Krystal Polk. The post As Musk’s xAI Data Centers Encroach on Southaven, North Mississippi Residents Push Back appeared first on Mississippi Free Press.
Controversy Ignites Over xAI's Gas-Fired Power Plant Plans
Controversy Ignites Over xAI's Gas-Fired Power Plant Plans Mississippi is set to hold a public hearing on Elon Musk's xAI's plans to construct a gas-fired power plant for its Colossus II data center. The hearing follows accusations from the NAACP, which alleges xAI violated federal law by installing and operating gas turbines without the requisite air permits.The civil rights group represents largely African American communities near the existin…
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