Colossus entered online in September 2024. The data center, housed in an old appliance factory, is responsible for the training of Grok Chatbot of X.
Although economic leaders and local officials have praised Xai’s decision to be in Memphis for their income generation potential, residents of a historically unattended black neighborhood called Botxtow are skeptical of the company.
In recent months they have mobilized against XAI, which is now looking for a permanent permit for a total of 15 colossus turbines.
The Shelby County Health Department, which said in May that he expected the permit review process to take 60 days, said “would not be commenting on any pending potential or litigation.”
State representative Justin J. Pearson, whose district includes Botxtawn, compared the current battle with David’s biblical history and the Goliath.
“We are Davids in this fight,” he said. “It is fine to be David because we know how the story ends.”
The mayor of Memphis, Paul Young, has defended the project, recently writing in the commercial appeal that it is estimated to bring $ 12 million in tax revenues to the city in its first year. He also said that a recently introduced ordinance would direct a quarter of those income to the communities within the 5 miles of the installation.
In his permission application, XAI provided information to the manufacturer about the contaminants that issue the turbines. XAI representatives have said previously that the company would eliminate some turbines and equip the remaining with technology to reduce their emissions.
The defenders say that South Memphis was already dealing with industrial pollution, long before the arrival of Xai. The letter sent references on Tuesday the ozone levels of the city and the high visits rates to the emergency room related to the asthma of Shelby County.
Because the Federal Demand would be presented under the Clean Air Law, the NAACP had to provide a 60 -day notice.
“Memphis deserves honesty,” said Patrick Anderson, main lawyer of the Soutonmento Law Center. “Memphis deserves transparency and, above all, Memphis deserves clean air.”
