SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — Community members gathered Saturday afternoon for a town hall focused on concerns surrounding xAI’s data centers, including environmental impacts, air quality and ongoing legal challenges.
The event, organized by the NAACP, was held at the M.R. Davis Public Library in Southaven and featured State Rep. Justin J. Pearson, NAACP leaders and community members from the Greater Memphis and Mississippi areas.
During the town hall, NAACP officials said they are working to hold xAI accountable over what they describe as the company’s use of unpermitted gas turbines.
Abre’ Conner, director for the Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at the NAACP, said the organization is pursuing legal action against xAI.
xAI town hall in Southaven (WREG)
“We have two different actions that we have right now,” Conner said. “We are fighting the permit that was granted to them. We are also fighting the fact that they started operating without permits at all.”
According to the NAACP, three lawsuits have been filed against xAI. The organization says two of those cases involve air pollution concerns, while another is a federal citizens’ suit involving unpermitted turbines.
Conner said Saturday’s town hall was meant to inform residents about the legal challenges and encourage people to remain involved.
“The call to action is to continue to show up. To continue to fight,” Conner said. “To make sure they’re showing up to every single zoning commission, every single city council meeting. We have several hearings that are happening late this year. We want people to show up to that. We want people to hold polluters accountable.”
During the meeting, speakers shared concerns and frustrations about xAI’s operations. Organizers said the company currently has 41 permitted turbines and 60 unpermitted turbines.
Hernando resident Kelly Jacobs said she is worried about how emissions could affect her family.
“I’m very concerned because my husband has an asthma breathing problem,” Jacobs said.
Jacobs said she wants more people to pay attention to the issue and expressed concern about xAI’s data centers expanding in the area.
“Just because they’re here it doesn’t make it right,” Jacobs said. “We’re dying. My husband is suffering and it’s because of the pollution. We need to turn them off.”
The town hall comes just over a week after Pearson joined U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley and Summer Lee outside the xAI supercomputer facility in southwest Memphis to call attention to environmental concerns.
AOC joins Pearson at xAI data center in Memphis
During that event, residents from the nearby Boxtown and Westwood neighborhoods said pollution from the facility’s gas-powered turbines was affecting their health. Pearson called for a moratorium on additional data centers.
NAACP representatives encouraged residents to stay involved by attending town halls and local government meetings, organizing within their communities and exercising their right to vote.
The Southern Environmental Law Center and Earthjustice have filed legal challenges against xAI on behalf of the NAACP. xAI has previously said it is working to comply with environmental regulations.
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