I am writing to express my strong opposition to the methane gas turbines powering Elon Musk’s xAI supercomputer facility in Southwest Memphis, TN. I stand in solidarity with the local families already burdened by severe public health disparities.
The combustion of methane gas emits dangerous pollutants, including nitrogen oxide (NOx) and formaldehyde—both regulated under the Clean Air Act.
Based on estimates from the Southern Environmental Law Center, xAI could emit over 100–300 tons of NOx annually, worsening air quality and increasing respiratory emergencies in a region already facing environmental injustice. Southwest Memphis has a cancer rate four times the national average, and Shelby County has some of the highest rates of childhood asthma emergencies in the state.
There is an alarming lack of transparency about emissions data from xAI’s operations. Real-time air monitoring and assessment of the cumulative impacts of all industrial sources in the area are a necessity. These steps are critical before any air permit is considered.
I urge the Shelby County Health Department to exercise its authority: require a full environmental impact assessment, hold a public hearing, and deny xAI’s air permit until all health and environmental risks have been thoroughly evaluated and the community has had a chance to weigh in.
Clean air is not a privilege—it is a right. Memphis communities deserve protection, not pollution.
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