DOJ sides with Elon Musk’s xAI in lawsuit that seeks to stop the company from running natural gas turbines; says: Threatens American national, economic and energy security by …
Elon Musk’s xAI has received support from the US Department of Justice in a lawsuit seeking to stop the company from operating natural gas turbines. In a filing seen by Wired, the agency sided with the company, saying attempts to stop xAI from running the natural gas turbines “threatens American national, economic, and energy security by seeking to shut off the power supply for artificial-intelligence innovation that supports the Department of War’s military operations.”The DOJ intervened in a lawsuit filed earlier this year by the NAACP against xAI’s data centre operations in Southaven, Mississippi. Alongside xAI and the state of Mississippi, the Justice Department has asked the court to dismiss the case.According to the filing, the federal government considers xAI’s AI models important for military and national security operations. The DOJ argued that restricting power generation at the company’s Colossus 2 data centre could affect AI systems used across classified government networks.A separate declaration filed by Cameron Stanley, chief digital and artificial intelligence officer at the Department of War, stated that xAI’s Grok Gov model is used to support “vital national security missions.” The filing also claims the model was used in connection with recent US military operations involving Iran. Stanley argued that forcing xAI to stop operating the turbines powering Colossus 2 would “directly threatens ongoing national security interests.”
What the NAACP alleges in its lawsuit against xAI
‘The lawsuit, filed by the NAACP in April, focuses on xAI’s use of natural gas turbines at its Mississippi data centre. The civil rights organisation alleges that the company is violating the Clean Air Act by operating turbines without the required permits. It claims emissions from the turbines pose health risks to nearby communities, including increased chances of asthma attacks and heart disease.In May, the NAACP sought a preliminary injunction to stop xAI from operating the turbines while the case proceeds in court. The legal challenge follows similar concerns raised around xAI’s operations in Tennessee, where residents and environmental groups questioned the company’s use of gas-powered turbines at its first Colossus facility.According to the original lawsuit, xAI was operating 27 turbines at the Southaven site without permits. However, emails obtained by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), which is supporting the NAACP’s case, indicate that the number had increased to 57 turbines by mid-May.The SELC said the increase has significantly raised projected emissions from the facility. Based on its calculations, the expansion resulted in a 111% increase in nitrogen oxide emissions, an 83% increase in PM2.5 emissions and an 88% increase in formaldehyde emissions compared to levels cited when the lawsuit was first filed.State regulators in Tennessee and Mississippi have reportedly argued that xAI can operate the turbines for a limited period without obtaining clean-air permits. The NAACP disputes that interpretation, arguing it is inconsistent with Environmental Protection Agency regulations.The court has yet to rule on the DOJ’s request to dismiss the lawsuit or on the NAACP’s request to halt turbine operations at the facility.
