Coalition expected to present “Shut Down xAI” petition at Southaven board meeting
SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — A coalition of North Mississippi residents is escalating its fight against Elon Musk’s xAI facility in Southaven. Reports are there are now plans to formally present a petition to the Southaven Board of Aldermen during the board’s first scheduled meeting of the new year on Jan. 6.
The Safe and Sound Coalition, a grassroots group formed in response to the massive data-center expansion at the former Duke Energy site, claims that its “Shut Down xAI” petition has now garnered hundreds of signatures. The group intends to use the public comment portion of the Jan. 6 meeting to demand an immediate halt to operations at the Stanton Road facility.
At the heart of the opposition is a 114-acre site currently housing 18 natural gas turbines used to power the expanding xAI “Gigafactory of Compute.” The coalition has highlighted that the industrial site sits approximately 1,500 feet from the Colonial Hills subdivision and within a two-mile radius of 10 local schools.
“We are already seeing the effects: harmful air pollution, relentless industrial noise, and serious concerns about water use,” the coalition claims. The group argues that the nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from the turbines pose a specific threat to children and elderly residents in the high-density suburban area.
The coalition’s primary legal grievance centers on what they call a “regulatory loophole.” Currently, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) allows the facility to operate turbines under “temporary” status, which exempts them from the stringent air permits usually required for permanent industrial power plants.
Mayor Darren Musselwhite has defended the project as a monumental economic win for the city, projecting hundreds of high-tech jobs and billions in capital investment.
The Southaven Board of Aldermen meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at City Hall.
