NAACP calls for local officials to stop operations at Colossus, the “Supercomputera” object served by XAI Elon Musk at South Memphis.
How Reported in NBC Newsleaders from the Civil Rights Group He sent a letter on Thursday To the Health Department of Shelby and Memphis Light Gas and Water, criticizing the “non -flexible approach of the organization to the action of this dirty data center” and calling them to “issue an emergency order for XAI to completely stop operations” – or if there is no order, at least quoting and stopping the company from alleged violation of air rights.
The letter expressed special fears about gas turbines, which XAI runs to supply the colossus. The company has submitted an application for permission to proceed 15 gas turbines at the facility, although NAACP said that the authorities “allowed XAI to run at least 35 gas turbines without any permission” over the past 12 months. City officials have previously said that XAI didn’t need permits for the first 12 months of use of turbines.
These turbines Apparently, emit dangerous air pollutionIn this formaldehyde, at levels exceeding EPA boundaries. The NACP letter also indicated the emission of turbine nitrogen oxide.
Noticing that the Colossus object is positioned near the Boxtown South Memphis district, which the letter described as “historically black community”, NACP said that the location consolidates “the trend of industries that add pollution to communities that do not cause a problem.”
“Instead [the Shelby County Health Department] While working on limiting the health problems known in this area, including the risk of cancer four times than the national average, it allowed XAI to act above the law, “added NAACP.
The NAACP letter is addressed to the director of the Health Department of Shelby Michelle Taylor, in addition to Memphis Light Gas and Water commissioners; Taylor is leaving her role In Shelby, he became the commissioner of the Baltimore Health Department.
TechCrunch contacted NACP and XAI for a comment. Memphis Light Gas and Water spokesman told NBC News that he has not yet received the NACP letter.