SOUTHAVEN, Miss. (WMC) – The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality heard public comments Tuesday night regarding the environmental impact of the xAI power plant operating in Southaven and the company’s application for permits for 41 natural gas turbines.
The public hearing lasted two and a half hours, with every speaker asking MDEQ to deny or delay approval of the permit. Many residents described health issues they believe are caused by air pollution and distress from constant noise from the plant.
Mississippi Residents gathered to speak on xAI public concerns(Action News 5)
“My husband’s asthma and COPD-type symptoms have significantly increased,” said one Hernando resident.
Another Southaven resident said he now experiences “a persistent cough and prolonged irritation that coincided directly with these operations ramping up.”
Gas turbines(Action News 5)
XAI’s affiliate company, MZX Tech, is requesting a permit for 41 natural gas turbines to power their Colossus II supercomputer in Whitehaven. The Southern Environmental Law Center claims the plant currently has 27 turbines in use.
“These decisions were not made publicly or with any input from the people who live here and breathe the air. Why should we trust MZX to follow the law when they already believe themselves to be above it?” a commenter said.
Residents living half a mile from the plant described a constant roar ranging between 40 to 60 decibels.
Jason Haley of the Safe and Sound Coalition spoke about the disturbance caused by the plant.(Action News 5)
“This is heard at night when I’m trying to go to sleep, and I hear it when I wake up. This caused loss of sleep. I have headaches. My ears now ring,” said Jason Haley of Safe and Sound Coalition.
The public hearing concludes the public comment period required for permits for energy generators that surpass a specific emissions threshold. A board of MDEQ department heads will review all written comments and public comments made during the hearing before deciding to approve or deny the permits.
No members of the permit board attended the hearing.
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