NAACP Calls for the Closure of Elon Musk's Controversial Supercomputer in a Majority Black Community Due to Environmental Concerns
A call to halt operations has been issued by the NAACP toward Elon Musk's supercomputer project in South Memphis, claiming noncompliance with environmental regulations. On May 29, a letter was sent to the Shelby County Health Department and Memphis Light Gas and Water, expressing criticism over the health department's lethargic approach to controlling the dirty data center.
The NAACP, in the letter, directed to Dr. Michelle Taylor, health department director, urged the issuance of an emergency stop order for xAI's operation. If no order is enforced, they requested the immediate halt of the company's supposed violation of clean air laws.
Black residents' health in peril
The focus of concern lies with the gas turbines powering the Colossus supercomputer, operated by xAI. Despite the NAACP's claim that the authorities have allowed unpermitted operation of 35 turbines over the past year, xAI applied for a permit to maintain its operation of only 15 gas turbines. City officials previously stated that xAI did not require permits for the turbines' initial year of operation.
These turbines are alleged to release hazardous air pollutants like formaldehyde, exceeding EPA limits. Located near the historically Black Boxtown neighborhood, the Colossus facility poses an immediate health risk to the community.
"With Elon Musk being the world's richest man, it doesn't grant him the privilege to pollute Black communities and jeopardize the health of its residents," Derrick Johnson, the NAACP president, stated in a reply to NBC News.
Controversy surrounding the Colossus project
The Colossus project, which went live in September 2024, was designed to train xAI's chatbot, Grok. However, with concerns about environmental implications overshadowing potential economic benefits for the community, critics argue that the project should be shut down.
"Although we praise research and innovation, there must be limits that ensure communities are safe and healthy, enabling them to reap the benefits of any innovation," the NAACP letter conveyed. A decision regarding xAI's permit application is scheduled by Shelby County health officials within the upcoming weeks.
Image: Eric Hilt/Southern Environmental Law Center
Insights:
- The NAACP's criticism is primarily based on concerns about permitting, health risks, and potential violations of clean air laws. Lack of permits suggests a lack of regulatory oversight, while the presence of unpermitted turbines creates an unlicensed power plant. The alleged emissions of hazardous air pollutants like formaldehyde trespass federal limits and pose heightened health risks for the South Memphis community. xAI's Colossus facility, located in the Boxtown neighborhood, is already a sacrifice zone for industrial pollution, with a history of high asthma rates and poor air quality. The company's methane gas turbines are not equipped with the standard pollution controls, indicating potential violations of clean air regulations.
- The NAACP, in response to the Colossus supercomputer project's potential violations of clean air laws, has urged the health department to issue an emergency stop order for the xAI operation.
- The Colossus project, amidst controversies, is criticized for its environmental implications, as critics argue that it should be shut down to protect the health of the South Memphis community from hazardous air pollutants.
- The controversy surrounding the Colossus project lies not just in its exploration of artificial intelligence and technology but also in its disregard for the environmental health and safety concerns of the local community, particularly the historically Black Boxtown neighborhood.
