xAI’s Colossus facility is facing backlash from the NAACP. The civil rights group is urging local officials in Memphis to shut down operations at the supercomputer site due to environmental concerns.
The NAACP sent a scathing letter to the Shelby County Health Department and Memphis Light Gas and Water, criticizing their “lackadaisical approach” to what they call a “dirty data center.” They demand an emergency order to halt operations and address alleged violations of clean air laws.
"AI is evolving quickly, and it has the potential to offer some benefit to our society — if used right," said NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson. "But devastating the health of Black people for the sake of innovation—and thinking you can get away with it because you’re Elon Musk—isn’t going to fly with us."
The NAACP points to the gas turbines powering Colossus, raising alarms about hazardous emissions. xAI has applied for a permit to operate 15 turbines but allegedly ran at least 35 without permits over the past year. Local city officials previously claimed permits weren’t required during the first year of operation.
These turbines reportedly emit harmful pollutants, including formaldehyde, exceeding EPA limits. The NAACP highlighted the facility’s troubling proximity to Boxtown, a historically Black community, emphasizing ongoing environmental injustice.
“Instead of [the Shelby County Health Department] working to reduce health issues known in the area including that cancer risks are already four times the national average, it has allowed xAI to operate above the law,” the NAACP stated.
The letter is addressed to Shelby County Health Department Director Michelle Taylor, who is set to leave for a new role in Baltimore.
xAI has not yet commented, while Memphis Light Gas and Water claims it has not received the NAACP’s letter.
This story will continue to evolve.
