US House Democrat questions Elon Musk on xAI data center pollution near vulnerable communities

Rep. Frank Pallone, the ranking Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, sent a letter to Elon Musk demanding answers about the environmental fallout from xAI’s massive data centers in Tennessee and Mississippi. The facilities have been running dozens of natural gas turbines without the federal clean-air permits that are typically required for operations of this scale. At least 59 natural gas turbines have been installed for the Colossus 2 project alone, and their potential emissions reportedly exceed the thresholds that would normally trigger mandatory permitting. The turbines have allegedly been operating in this unpermitted state since at least 2025. What Pallone wants The letter, dated July 28-29, lays out a sweeping set of demands. Pallone is asking for detailed emissions data, permitting records, and analyses of the facilities’ power and water consumption. He’s also requesting arrangements for site visits so committee staff can assess the impacts directly. This isn’t Pallone’s first attempt to get information. The inquiry follows previous committee meetings where xAI apparently provided what Pallone’s office considered insufficient responses. The Colossus faciliti...