The Nationwide Affiliation for the Development of Coloured Folks (NAACP) desires Elon Musk’s xAI supercomputer venture in Memphis, Tennessee, shut down attributable to environmental issues.
The group issued a letter Thursday to Shelby County Well being Division officers and the commissioners of Memphis Gentle Gasoline and Water, NBC Information reported Friday.
The NAACP referred to as out Musk personally, claiming the “world’s richest man” is making an attempt to “jeopardize the well being” of black communities:
“Being the world’s richest man doesn’t provide the proper to pollute Black communities and jeopardize the well being of its residents,” NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson mentioned in a press release to NBC Information. “We urge the well being division to step in instantly.”
…
In a earlier assertion to NBC Information, xAI mentioned its “operations adjust to all relevant legal guidelines” and that it “works collaboratively with County and Metropolis officers, EPA personnel, and neighborhood leaders relating to all issues that have an effect on Memphis.”
The NBC article additionally famous that xAI has been criticized for reportedly working methane gasoline generators that allegedly emit pollution.
WATCH — Trump: DOGE Will Proceed After Elon Has to Get Again to His Firms:
The NAACP has questioned permits required for the generators underneath the Clear Air Act. In accordance with the report:
Environmental teams and the NAACP consider the generators required permits underneath the Clear Air Act; town’s well being division, the mayor and the Chamber of Commerce have mentioned permits weren’t required for the generators’ first yr of use. xAI, which is now in search of a allow for 15 everlasting generators, mentioned these can be geared up with air pollution controls and solely be used as backup as soon as different vitality choices can be found.
The location is close to the neighborhood of Boxtown, Motion Information 5 reported Sunday, noting many black People dwell there. The NBC report mentioned neighbors are nervous the venture will additional hurt the realm’s poor air high quality.
When Motion Information 5 reported in June 2024 that Musk was coming to Memphis to construct “the world’s largest supercomputer,” a reporter for the outlet mentioned it was a “multibillion-dollar funding, bringing jobs and main cash to our beloved metropolis”:
Watch:
Memphis Mayor Paul Younger (D) just lately instructed NBC Information the venture “represents an incredible alternative, a possibility for us to take our financial system to the following stage”:
Watch:
The venture, named Colossus, got here on-line in late 2024 to work on the X chatbot generally known as Grok. Though the NAACP conceded it’s all for analysis and innovation, the group desires limits in the case of alleged well being problems with surrounding communities.
Support Greater and Subscribe to view content
This is premium stuff. Subscribe to read the entire article.
