Judge Lets DOJ Join NAACP Lawsuit Against xAI While Refusing to Dismiss Case

U.S. District Judge Debra Brown ruled that the Trump administration's Justice Department may intervene in the NAACP's lawsuit targeting Elon Musk's company, now called SpaceXAI, over alleged air-pollution from its Southaven data center. The suit claims the use of 69 gas turbines breaches the federal Clean Air Act and asks the court to stop the generators until they secure state permits. While the DOJ argued the case should be dismissed because the EPA enforces the law, the judge found that individuals retain the right to sue even when federal agencies decline enforcement.

Patrick Anderson of the Southern Environmental Law Center welcomed the ruling, saying the court saw through the DOJ's flawed arguments. The turbines, mounted on trailers and labeled temporary, were initially allowed to operate without permits, though the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality later extended their use for several months. The decision keeps the environmental challenge alive and may affect future regulatory oversight of similar facilities.