The NAACP is asking on native officers to halt operations at Colossus, the “supercomputer” facility operated by Elon Musk’s xAI in South Memphis.
As reported in NBC News, leaders from the civil rights group sent a letter Thursday to the Shelby County Well being Division and Memphis Gentle Fuel and Water criticizing the organizations’ “lackadaisical strategy to the operation of this soiled information middle” and calling on them to “situation an emergency order for xAI to cease operations utterly” — or if there’s no order, to not less than cite and cease the corporate from allegedly violating clear air legal guidelines.
The letter expressed specific issues across the gasoline generators that xAI runs to energy Colossus. The corporate has utilized for a allow to continue operating 15 gas turbines on the facility, though the NAACP stated authorities have “allowed xAI to function not less than 35 gasoline generators with none allowing” over the previous 12 months. Metropolis officers have beforehand stated xAI didn’t want permits for the generators’ first 12 months of use.
These generators reportedly emit hazardous air pollutants, together with formaldehyde, at ranges exceeding EPA limits. The NAACP’s letter additionally pointed to the generators’ nitrogen-oxide emissions.
Noting that the Colossus facility is situated close to South Memphis’ Boxtown neighborhood, which the letter described as a “traditionally Black neighborhood,” the NAACP stated the situation perpetuates “the pattern of industries including air pollution to communities who don’t trigger the issue.”
“As an alternative of [the Shelby County Health Department] working to cut back well being points recognized within the space together with that most cancers dangers are already 4 instances the nationwide common, it has allowed xAI to function above the legislation,” the NAACP added.
The NAACP’s letter is addressed to Shelby County Well being Division Director Michelle Taylor, in addition to Memphis Gentle Fuel and Water’s commissioners; Taylor is leaving her role in Shelby County to turn out to be the commissioner of the Baltimore Metropolis Well being Division.
TechCrunch has reached out to the NAACP and xAI for remark. A spokesperson for Memphis Gentle Fuel and Water informed NBC Information that it had not but obtained the NAACP letter.
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