{"id":413,"date":"2026-05-04T10:27:28","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T10:27:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/journals.law.unc.edu\/nccivilrightslaw\/?p=413"},"modified":"2026-05-04T10:27:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T10:27:28","slug":"musk-mucking-up-memphis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/journals.law.unc.edu\/nccivilrightslaw\/2026\/05\/musk-mucking-up-memphis\/","title":{"rendered":"Musk Mucking Up Memphis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Elon Musk is the CEO of xAI<\/a>, the company handling all AI matters on X, formerly known as Twitter. xAI is recognized as one of the world\u2019s leading AI companies, valued at around $230 billion<\/a> as of January 2026. The company utilizes a generative AI chatbot called \u2018Grok.\u2019<\/a> In 2024, xAI established plans for building a supercomputer in Memphis<\/a>, Tennessee to power and enhance Grok\u2019s AI chatbot capabilities. A high-functioning supercomputer<\/a> has the capabilities to solve complex questions at an incredibly high-speed. Whereas a data center only receives information, a supercomputer receives information and generates output<\/a>. For example, users on X tend to comment under a post and ask Grok to summarize the post or to explain what the post means, and the output is claimed to come with \u201ca twist of humor and a dash of rebellion<\/a>.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The supercomputer, Colossus 1<\/a>, was built in 122 days with size and speed in mind. The company\u2019s testimonial<\/a> is as follows: \u201cWe were told it would take 24 months to build. So we took the project into our own hands, questioned everything, removed whatever was unnecessary, and accomplished our goal in four months.\u201d Construction<\/a> began in June 2024 and the project was completed around October 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An even larger facility, Colossus 2<\/a>, was built bordering Memphis, and a companion facility, MACROHARDRR<\/a>, is in the works in Southaven, Mississippi, less than 20 minutes away from the city of Memphis. Taken together, these facilities in the greater Memphis area are claimed by Musk to be the world\u2019s largest supercomputer<\/a>. Colossus 1 alone uses 150 megawatts<\/a> of electricity, which is enough to power 100,000 homes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Environmental impacts of Colossus 1 and 2<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When companies use significant amounts of energy for their projects, environmental impacts are bound to ensure. Methane gas turbines<\/a> are used by xAI to generate the power to run the facilities. The company elected to use the gas turbines rather than using the city\u2019s power grid<\/a>. Initially, when only Colossus 1 existed, it was difficult to estimate the number of turbines<\/a> that were being used at the facility due to the lack of transparency from both the local government and xAI. For the development of Colossus 1 and 2, these turbines were portable, as to allow their operation without permitting due to a local county policy<\/a> that allowed the operation of generators if they sat in one location for no more than 364 days. There were reports of up to 35 gas turbines<\/a> on the property solely powering Colossus 1, but that number has not been confirmed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The gas turbines emit hazardous chemicals<\/a> such as formaldehyde and contribute to smog by worsening the ground level ozone. Harmful nitrogen oxides<\/a> are released into the air surrounding these facilities, which are known to cause upper respiratory diseases like asthma, and even cancer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Environmental justice implications<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Environmental justice<\/a> is the idea that there is a right to a healthy and safe environment for every single individual, and that everyone\u2019s considerations should be taken into account when it comes to enforcement of environmental laws, policies, and development of infrastructure. The reality is that minority and low-income communities<\/a> often become the dumping ground for industrial pollutants. In denying these communities a clean environment, they are being deprived of the right to be healthy<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The city of Memphis, specifically the predominantly black communities of South Memphis, have historical roots<\/a> in exposure to environmental hazards. \u201cThe neighborhoods have long been targeted by industrial polluters<\/a>, including a steel mill, a now-shuttered coal power plant, a utility-operated gas power plant, and an oil refinery.\u201d The history<\/a> of near constant pollutants in the area resulted in a local community of developing high asthma rates and a failing grade from the American Lung Association for air quality. The residents of the communities surrounding the facilities are largely black and low-income, and these individuals are experiencing a disproportional impact<\/a> of environmental harm. This disproportional impact of environmental harm caused by industrial polluters, and now xAI, results in lower life expectancies<\/a> for these parts of Memphis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent EPA crackdown<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company\u2019s method of removing<\/a> \u201cwhatever was unnecessary\u201d apparently included environmental regulations for the gas turbines on the property. Environmental groups and activists voiced their concerns<\/a> with xAI\u2019s development in the Memphis area and the lack of transparency and accountability when it comes to the environmental impact of the supercomputer. Some members of the local government in Memphis seemed excited about the prospect of their city becoming a large data hub and what the project could mean for employment opportunities<\/a>. The Memphis Chamber of Commerce estimated that xAI would bring up to 500 high-paying jobs<\/a> to the greater Memphis area, and the prospect of how much the company would generate for the local economy in tax revenue is in the tens of millions.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the Memphis community was largely taken by surprise<\/a>. Memphis Councilwoman Yolanda Cooper-Sutton<\/a> was shocked when she found out about the plans for the facility on the evening news. \u201cCooper-Sutton says she couldn\u2019t believe her ears. This was the first time<\/a> she\u2019d heard anything about the project.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Clean Air Act mandates that air emissions should be regulated in part through major facilities having to obtain a Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permit<\/a> prior to construction. xAI applied for a minor source permit<\/a> in January 2025, but environmental activists say that the permit application was too far after the construction of the facilities, and that the amount of pollutants being emitted from the turbines do not constitute a minor source. Although not confirmed, there were talks of local officials in Memphis signing non-disclosure agreements<\/a> with xAI regarding the development of the facilities, all without public input. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On January 15, 2026, the\u00a0Environmental Protection Agency<\/a>\u00a0declared that generators, like the turbines being used to power\u00a0xAI\u2019s\u00a0facilities and\u00a0Grok, are not exempt from permitting requirements.\u00a0It is unclear as to whether\u00a0xAI\u00a0is planning on\u00a0abiding by the permitting<\/a>\u00a0regulations, and it is also unclear as to how the government will administer these regulations and\u00a0penalize companies not in compliance.\u00a0Environmental activists and the local communities of Memphis are hopeful that these mandates will\u00a0facilitate more transparency<\/a>\u00a0of the environmental impacts of the\u00a0supercomputer and\u00a0eventually lessen the burden on disadvantaged communities.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Celine Kordon<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class of 2027, Staff Member <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Elon Musk is the CEO of xAI, the company handling all AI matters on X, formerly known as Twitter. xAI is recognized as one of the world\u2019s leading AI companies, valued at around $230 billion as of January 2026. The company utilizes a generative AI chatbot called \u2018Grok.\u2019 In 2024, xAI established plans for building a supercomputer in Memphis, Tennessee to power and enhance Grok\u2019s AI chatbot capabilities. A high-functioning supercomputer has the capabilities to solve …<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/journals.law.unc.edu\/nccivilrightslaw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/413"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/journals.law.unc.edu\/nccivilrightslaw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/journals.law.unc.edu\/nccivilrightslaw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journals.law.unc.edu\/nccivilrightslaw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journals.law.unc.edu\/nccivilrightslaw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=413"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/journals.law.unc.edu\/nccivilrightslaw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/413\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":414,"href":"https:\/\/journals.law.unc.edu\/nccivilrightslaw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/413\/revisions\/414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/journals.law.unc.edu\/nccivilrightslaw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journals.law.unc.edu\/nccivilrightslaw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journals.law.unc.edu\/nccivilrightslaw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}