Civil Rights Organization, NAACP, Issues Legal Threat Against xAI, Elon Musk's Company, over Air Pollution Concerns in Memphis.
NaACP Threatens Lawsuit Against Elon Musk's xAI Over Pollution
In an unanticipated turn of events, billionaire Elon Musk's AI startup, xAI, is under the scanner for air pollution from its data center in Memphis.
A stern warning, in the form of a letter, was sent to xAI by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) on behalf of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NaACP).
The letter claims that xAI has flouted federal law by utilizing methane gas turbines at its South Memphis data center without acquiring necessary permits or implementing the "best available" pollution controls.
Typically, data centers requiring round-the-clock electricity for AI computing are energy-intensive and rely heavily on fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal for surging demands.
While methane emitted from human activities like oil and gas production, electricity generation, and agriculture is short-lived in the atmosphere, it tends to be a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
The emissions from xAI's data center, according to the SELC, contribute to the existing poor air quality in Memphis.
"xAI’s turbines have spewed pollution that threatens the health of Memphis residents. This notice lays the groundwork for a lawsuit that could hold xAI accountable for its blatant refusal to secure permits for its gas turbines," said SELC Senior Attorney Patrick Anderson.
In response, an xAI spokesperson told Reuters, "We take our commitment to the community and environment seriously. The temporary power generation units are operating in compliance with all applicable laws."
The AI company has installed 35 turbines, around 34 of which were functioning without the requisite permits, as of April, according to the SELC. Although xAI has removed some smaller turbines, it has recently added three larger ones, the SELC added.
Back in August, the SELC stated that xAI had installed 20 gas turbines at the site.
Elon Musk's representatives did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comments.
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Sources:[1] https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2021/01/27/elon-musks-xai-naacp-southern-environmental-law-center-letter-memphis-data-center-pollution/4298237001/[2] https://www.memphisflyer.com/news/memphis-to-elon-musks-ai-company-you-can-assign-more-land-to-your-data-center-center-a-k-ames-brown-20210125/[4] https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/26/tech/elon-musk-ai-data-center-pollution/index.html
- The lack of necessary permits and implementation of pollution controls for renewable energy sources, such as methane gas turbines, in Elon Musk's xAI data center in Memphis could potentially be a major concern for environmental scientists, considering the impact of climate-change.
- The finance sector may need to consider the potential environmental and health risks associated with data center projects, like that of xAI, which heavily rely on renewable energy, as it could attract legal action from environmental law centers and industry watchdogs.
- The ongoing controversy surrounding Elon Musk's xAI data center in Memphis, with allegations of pollution and the absence of necessary permits for renewable energy technology, raises questions about the overall commitment of the tech industry to environmental science and sustainable energy solutions.
