Texas residents are starting to regret Elon Musk moving his operations to the state.
SpaceX’s Watery Woes
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Elon Musk is in trouble again. After a CNBC report in early August found that SpaceX was illegally dumping polluted wastewater into Texas water reservoirs – violating multiple environmental laws in the process – you’d think the industrious billionaire would have learned his lesson. Apparently not, as these latest environmental allegations seem to show.
Memphis Blues
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Musk’s latest venture, xAI, is under attack from environmentalists who are accusing the company of making Memphis’s air quality even worse than it was – and it was already pretty bad.
Breathing Uneasy
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To put it in perspective, the American Lung Association (ALA) rated Shelby County’s air quality an “F” – due to its persistent smog (also known as ozone pollution.) That’s one of the worst-rated air quality in the nation, and residents have been complaining for years.
The Ozone Menace
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As the ALA explains, “Ozone especially harms children, older adults and those with asthma and other lung diseases. When older adults or children with asthma breathe ozone-polluted air, too often they end up in the doctor’s office, the hospital or the emergency room. Ozone can even shorten life itself.”
Gas Turbines and Grievances
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Well, despite being located in an area with terrible air quality that’s been impacting people’s health for years, xAI has allegedly been running natural gas turbines without the proper permits – all to keep its new data center running. Talk about adding insult to injury.
Community Uproar
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This move has sparked outrage among local residents and environmental advocates, who are now calling for an investigation.
Musk’s Memphis Marvel
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If you’re wondering what’s been going on, let’s break it down. Musk’s xAI set up shop in a former Electrolux factory in Memphis earlier this year, turning the old plant into a high-tech data center.
The Electrolux Factory’s New Life
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Musk, ever the showman, couldn’t resist boasting last month about how xAI had started training its AI models at the Memphis facility, using 100,000 of Nvidia’s H100 processors. Impressive tech, sure – but what’s less impressive is the environmental impact.
The Price of Power
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To power all this cutting-edge tech, xAI has reportedly installed, at minimum, 18 gas-burning turbines, pumping out nitrogen oxides (NOx), which is already a serious issue in Memphis. NOx is linked to all kinds of health problems – from respiratory issues to more severe conditions like asthma and even cancer.
Environmental Watchdogs Bark
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Local environmental groups aren’t letting this slide. The Southern Environmental Law Center, which is representing a bunch of local groups, fired off a letter to both the Shelby County Health Department and the Environmental Protection Agency, urging them to look into xAI’s unpermitted use of these turbines.
130 Tons of Trouble
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According to the letter, these turbines could emit up to 130 tons of nitrogen oxides annually, making them one of the largest sources of this pollutant in the county.
A Toxic Tally
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And with Memphis already struggling with high rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses, the community isn’t happy.
The Power Play
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xAI apparently plans to eventually switch over to electricity from Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) and the Tennessee Valley Authority, but for now those gas turbines are cranking away – adding even more pollution to the air.
Energy Demand Dilemma
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MLGW has been struggling to keep up with the power demands of the new xAI facility. They started supplying 50 megawatts of power to xAI in August, but the facility reportedly needs another 100 megawatts to run at full capacity.
Racing to Meet xAI’s Needs
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MLGW has been scrambling to upgrade its infrastructure, installing more circuit breakers and improving transmission lines to handle the increased load. Until then, the gas turbines aren’t going anywhere.
The Transparency Debate
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The situation is causing a stir not just because of the environmental impact, but also due to the lack of transparency surrounding xAI’s operations.
Opacity in Operations
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Experts are frustrated, complaining that there hasn’t been enough public input. And now the community is left to deal with the consequences.
A Drive-By View
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According to FOX13, If you drive by the site you can see the rows of turbines lined up, churning out power for what Musk claims is the world’s largest supercomputer.
Pressing Health Concerns
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It’s hard not to think about the irony – Memphis is already grappling with high asthma rates and other health issues, and now they’ve got these machines spewing toxic pollutants right in their backyard.
DeSantis in More Hot Water as Florida Floods, Again
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Florida residents are struggling this hurricane season, and many are pointing the finger at a certain Governor. DeSantis in More Hot Water as Florida Floods, Again
J.C. Penney’s Closures Signal the End of an Era in Retail
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Michigan’s Governor Whitmer Lays Down the Law for HOAs
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