A senior Democratic senator is investigating Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company over long-running accusations that it operated data centers without proper energy permits.
Environment and Public Works ranking member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) called on EPA this week to investigate xAI’s Memphis-area data center complex. xAI, which is behind the chatbot and meme machine Grok, has faced litigation for setting up high-polluting gas turbines in the area without undergoing the necessary permitting process.
Whitehouse asked EPA on Wednesday to take enforcement action should xAI continue to circumvent permitting processes as they expand their Tennessee and Mississippi data center complex. He also requested information about any collaboration between EPA and xAI.
“xAI’s strategy of installing turbines first and seeking permits after the fact is clearly illegal,” Whitehouse wrote. “Although the state of Mississippi is primarily responsible for issuing (or denying) the permits required under federal law, EPA retains enforcement authority, and a responsibility to act where the state fails to do.”
