In Memphis Tennessee, the NAACP has announced plans to sue Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence firm, xAI, for violating the Clean Air Act by running a massive data center near a historically Black neighborhood without legal permits. Musk’s facility runs on 35 methane gas-powered turbine generators, which emit significant amounts of nitrogen oxide and other toxic chemicals. NAACP President Derrick Johnson said, “We cannot afford to normalize this kind of environmental injustice — where billion-dollar companies set up polluting operations in Black neighborhoods without any permits and think they’ll get away with it because the people don’t have the power to fight back.”
NAACP to Sue over Elon Musk’s xAI Data Center in Memphis
HeadlineJun 18, 2025

Image Credit: xAI