Emails from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality show that xAI has increased the number of gas turbines installed at its Southaven plant.
The plant located at 2875 Stanton Road now has 46 gas turbines, with 19 being installed after the company was notified by environmental groups about violations of the Clean Air Act.
“That’s more than double the original 18 turbines at the facility,” said SELC in a statement. “Together, the 46 turbines can release huge amounts of fine particulate matter, toxic chemicals like formaldehyde, and likely more than 4,000 tons of smog-forming nitrogen oxides every year.”
In emails between Jaricus Whitlock, air division chief of MDEQ, and Shannon Lynn, principal consultant at Trinity Consultant, Whitlock asked Lynn to send information about the emissions from 19 portable/temporary turbines. Lynn responded with the “current inventory” of 46 portable turbines.
The SELC along with the National Association for The Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) reached out to xAI in February about 27 gas-fired turbines operating at the site. They said the company brought six additional turbines, furthering pollution concerns.
The release of the emails comes a week after the NAACP asked a court to stop operations of the plant, citing Clean Air Act violations. The advocacy group requested a preliminary injunction as they want “emergency action to immediately halt xAI’s illegal and dangerous pollution.”
This request came after the NAACP sued xAI and MZX tech in April for its methane gas turbine operations in Southaven, following a 60-day notice of intent to sue. The SELC and Earthjustice are representing the NAACP.
SELC also filed an appeal on behalf of the NAACP, Young, Gifted & Green, and the Safe and Sound Coalition to challenge the permit issued to MZX Tech by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) in April.
