NAACP calls for emergency shutdown of Musk's supercomputer in Memphis

Local regulators should immediately stop Elon Musk’s supercomputer from operating in South Memphis, the NAACP wrote in a letter sent Thursday.

Local regulators should immediately stop Elon Musk’s supercomputer project from operating in South Memphis because it's out of compliance with environmental rules, the NAACP wrote in a letter sent Thursday to Shelby County officials.

The civil rights group addressed the request to Dr. Michelle Taylor, director of the Shelby County Health Department, and to the commissioners of Memphis Light Gas and Water. The health department is responsible for implementing federal air regulations in Shelby County, which encompasses Memphis.

“Being the world’s richest man doesn’t give you the right to pollute Black communities and jeopardize the health of its residents,” NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement to NBC News. “We urge the health department to step in immediately.”

When contacted, a spokesperson for Memphis Light Gas and Water said it had not received the NAACP letter and could not comment on it. Neither the health department nor xAI immediately responded to questions about the letter, which was also signed by the presidents of the Tennessee and Memphis chapters of the NAACP.

In a previous statement to NBC News, xAI said its "operations comply with all applicable laws” and that it “works collaboratively with County and City officials, EPA personnel, and community leaders regarding all things that affect Memphis.”