An air emissions construction permit awarded to xAI received lopsided approval from the Shelby County Air Pollution Control Board during a seven-hour, at times heated, hearing at the University of Memphis on Monday, Dec. 15. The meeting, attended by hundreds in the morning and dozens in the afternoon, featured robust public comments.
The 6-1 vote by the board ends an appeal by the NAACP and Young, Gifted & Green. Both were represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center. A motion to dismiss the appeal was filed by xAI and the Shelby County Health Department.
The Shelby County Health Department granted the permit in July, allowing for the construction of 15 permanent natural gas turbines to power the xAI Colossus data center located in southwest Memphis…