Memphis Mayor Paul Young met with state representatives and other local officials to discuss the impact of Elon Musk's xAI gas turbine expansion amid rising environmental concerns. Following a press conference yesterday that questioned the project's transparency and potential health impacts, Mayor Young convened the meeting with Tennessee Representatives including Justin J. Pearson, G.A. Hardaway, Torrey Harris, and Joe Towns, as detailed in a WREG report.
Misgivings over the project heightened after xAI deliberated on implementing up to 90 gas turbines which could exacerbate smog levels in the Memphis Metro Area. According to Local Memphis, there's unease in the community owing to preliminary infrastructure reportedly being built in DeSoto County without the final permits. This situation prompted Pearson and others to pressure the Environmental Protection Agency and local health departments to refuse additional permits to xAI.
In response to the controversy, Mayor Young stated that the current 15 gas turbines at the xAI site were legal under EPA rules and emphasized the city's collaboration with the University of Memphis to assess the project's pollution levels. However, Rep. Pearson accused Mayor Young of lacking necessary dialogue on such matters and said, "Mayor Young should know better," as reported by WREG.
Pearson, along with environmental advocates and Mississippi leaders, cited increased respiratory illnesses and smog as long-standing issues exacerbated by xAI's expansion. Per Action News 5, Pearson and fellow state representatives are expected to hold a press conference to bring these matters to the forefront following their meeting with Mayor Young at City Hall.
Meanwhile, as the local community's unease grows, Memphis Against Pollution announced an emergency town hall to tackle these spiraling pollution concerns. “For over three years we've been nonattainment as it relates to smog and ozone level pollution, which has increased the level of asthma and respiratory illnesses that have been triggered by people in our communities," Pearson told Local Memphis.
