DOJ seeks dismissal of pollution lawsuit against xAI on national-security grounds

The U.S. Justice Department urged a federal court to throw out the NAACP‑filed pollution lawsuit against Elon Musk’s xAI, arguing national-security concerns and potential harm to energy and AI innovation. The suit accuses xAI of operating gas turbines near homes and a school in Southaven, Mississippi, to power its Colossus 2 data center in nearby Memphis without proper air permits. Legal experts warn the DOJ’s intervention could undermine citizen-suit protections that allow communities to hold polluters accountable, with broader implications for environmental enforcement.