一名联邦法官拒绝了xAI要求驳回NAACP公司的一项诉讼的动议，指控SpaceX拥有的公司未能获得为孟菲斯以外的Colossus数据中心提供动力的燃气涡轮机运行所需的许可证。
AI公司代表有色人种协进会向南方环境法中心称公司“在Colossus场址安装和运营了至少35个燃烧涡轮机和其他空气污染源，但从未获得必要的建造前许可或运营航空许可”。 它还指控xAI违反"清洁空气法".
xAI要求驳回诉讼，该公司还辩称，原告没有起诉资格。
“因为原告根据《清洁空气法》具有法定地位，因为燃烧涡轮机不是密西西比州[国家执行计划]规定的`机动源'，而且公民诉讼条款没有违反《宪法》第二条或私人不授权原则，因此原告的声称将进行诉讼。” Debra M. Brown法官在裁决中写道。
布朗法官在关注xAI关于这类公民诉讼违宪的说法时写道：“ 因为公民诉讼原告以自己的名义提出诉讼，并寻求惩罚来弥补对自己造成的伤害，所以他们没有行使联邦政府的行政权力。 ”
TechCrunch已联系SpaceX征求意见。
在一份声明中，有色人种协进会环境和气候司法主任Abre Connor称这“是我们努力追究xAI责任的又一重大胜利”。 (本月早些时候，关于撤销司法部职务的类似动议被驳回)
“法院一再驳回xAI和司法部驳回NAACP清洁空气法案案的企图，确认我们有权为受污染影响的社区伸张正义。” Connor 称。 “我们的立场是明确的：没有必要的许可证，xAI就不能操作燃气涡轮机。”
有色人种协进会的诉讼正在取得进展，因为公众舆论似乎已经急剧反对数据中心，纽约最近通过了暂停新的数据中心和其他州和地方政府考虑采取类似措施。
反弹还促使Amazon和Microsoft承诺在与政府机构的交往中停止使用NDA，这可能是即将到来的美国中期选举的一个重要因素。
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A federal judge denied a motion by xAI seeking to dismiss an NAACP lawsuit accusing the SpaceX-owned company of failing to obtain permits needed to operate the gas turbines powering its Colossus data center outside Memphis.
Suing on behalf of the NAACP, the Southern Environmental Law Center said the AI company had “installed and operated at least 35 combustion turbines and other sources of air pollution at the Colossus site without ever obtaining the necessary preconstruction or operating air permits.” It also accused xAI of violating the Clean Air Act.
xAI sought to have the lawsuit dismissed, claiming that the turbines are exempt from permitting requirements because they’re mobile. The company also argued that the plaintiffs did not have the standing to sue.
“Because the plaintiffs have statutory standing under the Clean Air Act, because the combustion turbines are not ‘mobile sources’ under Mississippi’s [State Implementation Plan], and because the citizen suit provision does not violate Article II of the Constitution or the private nondelegation doctrine, the plaintiffs’ claims will proceed,” Judge Debra M. Brown wrote in her decision.
Focusing on xAI’s claim that these kinds of citizen lawsuits are unconstitutional, Judge Brown wrote, “Because citizen suit plaintiffs sue on their own behalf, in their own name, and seek penalties that redress harm to themselves, they are not exercising the federal government’s executive power.”
TechCrunch has reached out to SpaceX for comment.
In a statement, the NAACP’s director of environmental and climate justice Abre’ Connor described this as “another important victory in our effort to hold xAI accountable.” (A similar motion to dismiss from the Department of Justice was denied earlier this month)
“The courts have repeatedly rejected attempts by xAI and the DOJ to dismiss the NAACP’s Clean Air Act case, affirming our right to pursue justice for communities impacted by pollution,” Connor said. “Our position has been clear: xAI cannot operate gas turbines without the required permits.”
The NAACP lawsuit is moving forward as public opinion seems to have turned sharply against data centers, with New York recently passing a moratorium on new data centers and other state and local governments considering similar measures.
The backlash also prompted Amazon and Microsoft to promise to stop using NDAs in their dealings with government agencies, and it could be a significant factor in the imminent U.S. midterm elections.
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