The Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) has granted xAI permission to install 15 permanent natural gas turbines. The turbines will provide backup power for xAI’s data center in Memphis.
In April, public health officials opened the public comment period as they prepared to review the facility’s gas turbines. Shortly after the public comment period closed, the Greater Memphis Chamber said the project had reached “full operational capacity,” and that some of the temporary gas turbines would be removed.
In response to the permit approval, xAI said they look forward to partnering with Memphis for years to come.
“xAI welcomes today’s decision by the Shelby County Health Department,” the company said in a statement. “Our onsite power generation will be equipped with state-of-the-art emissions control technology, making this facility the lowest emitting of its kind in the country.”
The Greater Memphis Chamber, long a supporter of the data center, commended the health department and said it represents an advancement in the “Digital Delta.”
“This approval demonstrates Shelby County’s commitment to evidence-based decision making that balances economic growth with environmental stewardship,” Ted Townsend, president and CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber said.
Townsend alluded to people spreading misinformation about the data center, and commended the health department for evaluating the project’s environmental impact.
“It’s unfortunate that some have chosen to spread misinformation about this project rather than engaging with the actual environmental data,” Townsend said. “The facts speak for themselves — these turbines utilize technology that exceeds federal environmental standards by a substantial margin, making them among the cleanest backup power solutions available.”
Environmental advocates and citizens have long voiced their concern about the projected impact of the turbines.
The permit is for 15 permanent turbines, and not 35 that the Southern Environmental Law Center brought attention to in a letter to Michelle Taylor, director and health officer for the Shelby County Health Department.
SCHD responded to the SELC’s concerns stating that the temporary ones were not pertinent to their application process for the 15 permanent turbines.
The turbines have drawn criticism from environmental groups and citizens alike due to concern over their emissions. In its statement, xAI said the health department found that the project “does not contribute to an exceedance of National Ambient Air Quality Standards.”
In response to SELC’s concerns in the name of environmental justice and impact on Southwest Memphis, SCHD said the following:
“No legal basis exists for denying or altering an otherwise lawful air construction permit on the basis of cumulative impacts on environmental justice concerns. Additionally, the permit application included an extensive evaluation of environmental justice.”
SELC noted that Southwest Memphis residents are disproportionately affected by smog and industrial pollution. SELC senior attorney Amanda Garcia says the health department’s decision seemingly ignores public concern.
“Instead of confronting long-standing air pollution problems in South Memphis, the Shelby County Health Department is turning a blind eye to obvious Clean Air Act violations in order to allow another polluter to set up shop in this already-overburdened community without appropriate protections,” Garcia said. “We are evaluating our options moving forward.”
LaTricea Adams, CEO and president of Young, Gifted & Green also promised to take action on the matter.
“We will not stand by while our air quality deteriorates and the voices of Black, marginalized communities are silenced,” Adams said. “Environmental justice is a human right, and with the power of the people, we will remain steadfast in the fight for clean air.”
