DOJ Backs xAI in NAACP Lawsuit Over Unpermitted Gas Turbines Powering AI Data Centers
By James Dargan · · 1 min read
The U.S. Department of Justice has intervened in support of xAI in a lawsuit brought by the NAACP over the use of 57 unpermitted natural gas turbines at the company’s Colossus data centers near Memphis. The DOJ argued that shutting down the turbines would undermine American national security, noting that Grok is among four AI models supporting mission-critical military operations, including recent strikes in Iran.
The Southern Environmental Law Center, filing on the NAACP’s behalf, contends the turbines violate federal pollution law regardless of their trailer-mounted status. The affected region is already among the most polluted in the country, with local air quality worsening since the data centers came online.
xAI, now a division of SpaceX, has indicated plans to purchase a further $2.8 billion in gas turbines over three years to power its expanding AI infrastructure.
