Permits

Data centers have become a central issue in Alabama elections amid public health and transparency concerns. Large artificial intelligence facilities like Project Marvel in Bessemer raise worries about noise, traffic, light pollution, water usage, and diesel generator emissions, while non-disclosure agreements have limited community access to project information.

Alabama Reflector · Alabama · also at rocketcitynow.com

Edgewater city commissioners will decide Monday whether to place a permanent data center ban on the November ballot for voter approval. The proposal would prohibit data center construction, expansion, and operation within city limits, unlike a temporary moratorium.

WKMG · Volusia Co., FL · also at WKMG

Georgia Democrats seek to gain control of the state's Public Service Commission by capitalizing on public discontent with electricity rate increases and rapid data center expansion, hoping to win a third seat in the November election. The commission oversees utility rates, and environmental groups are investigating allegations that a data center developer began construction on a natural gas power plant before obtaining required air permits.

Washington Examiner · Georgia

Metro Council is scheduled for a final vote Tuesday on Mayor Freddie O'Connell's proposal to use eminent domain to acquire a property where DC Blox plans to build a data center adjacent to the Nashville Zoo. The company closed a $23 million purchase of the site and applied for a building permit despite Metro's legislative efforts to stop the project.

Axios · Davidson Co., TN

SpaceX said it will replace portable gas turbines powering its data centers near Memphis, Tennessee, with a natural gas power plant by July 2027, after facing criticism over unpermitted emissions. The company currently operates 69 portable turbines that locals and environmental groups say emit harmful pollutants and have been linked to respiratory problems.

Futurism · Shelby Co., TN

SpaceX has agreed to remove 69 temporary gas turbines at its Southaven, Mississippi power facility supporting the Colossus AI data center complex by July 2027, beginning as early as August as a permanent 1.2-gigawatt natural-gas power plant comes online.

Gizmodo · Shelby Co., TN

Tennessee enacted a law requiring data centers with power demands of at least 50 megawatts to pay for grid upgrades, but a carveout allows on-site gas-powered generation without state or local review, raising environmental and noise concerns for nearby communities.

The Cool Down · Tennessee

A Georgia data center developer hired a company to build a natural gas power plant on-site to avoid grid connection delays, but construction began before securing required environmental permits, prompting state regulators to issue violations and environmental groups to call for enforcement action.

insideclimatenews.org · Georgia

Mississippi's environmental agency announced a retirement schedule for 69 temporary gas turbines powering xAI's Southaven data centers, beginning Aug. 18, while allowing 13 units to run past their original 12-month deadline—up to five months longer due to supply chain delays affecting permanent turbine installation.

DeSoto County News · DeSoto Co., MS

SpaceX agreed to remove 69 temporary gas turbines powering an xAI data center in Southaven, Mississippi by July 2027 under an order with state environmental regulators, replacing them with a permanent 1.2 gigawatt power plant authorized under a Clean Air Act permit.

qz.com · DeSoto Co., MS

SpaceXAI announced it will remove 69 temporary turbines powering its $20 billion DeSoto County data center between August and July 2027, following an agreement with Mississippi's environmental agency. The company is installing sound walls and advanced quieting technology while constructing a permanent 1.2 GW power plant.

SuperTalk Mississippi Media · DeSoto Co., MS

Mississippi residents and Memphis-area community members attended an NAACP town hall to demand xAI shut down turbines operating without permits near its data center. The gathering heard concerns about air quality impacts, with organizers noting three lawsuits filed over pollution and unpermitted turbines, and citing xAI's 41 permitted versus 60 unpermitted turbines.

The Cool Down · DeSoto Co., MS

SpaceXAI will remove 69 temporary turbines from its Southaven data center starting August 2026, completing removal by July 2027, as it constructs a permanent 1.2 GW power plant under an agreed order with Mississippi's environmental agency.

Action News 5 · DeSoto Co., MS · also at Action News 5, WLBT, WTVA

SpaceXAI says it will remove unpermitted gas turbines powering its data center by July 2027 under an agreed order with Mississippi environmental officials. The NAACP has sued the company, alleging the turbines violate the Clean Air Act by exposing nearby communities to hazardous pollution.

Engadget · Shelby Co., TN

SpaceXAI agreed to gradually remove 69 gas turbines from its data center facilities along the Mississippi-Tennessee border following lawsuits over noise and air pollution. The company plans to complete removal by July 2027 and replace them with a 1.2 GW permanent power plant featuring advanced emission control technologies.

PCMag · Shelby Co., TN

SpaceX has delayed the removal of unpermitted turbines powering xAI's Colossus data center in Memphis until mid-2027, while constructing a permanent natural gas power plant to replace them. The turbines have operated without proper air quality permits since the facility's startup earlier this year.

techbuzz.ai · Shelby Co., TN

SpaceX said it will remove unpermitted turbines powering xAI data centers near Memphis by July 2027 as it transitions to a permanent 1.2 gigawatt natural gas power plant. The company currently operates 69 gas turbines at the Colossus data centers, which the NAACP and Southern Environmental Law Center have sued over.

techcrunch.com · Shelby Co., TN

Elon Musk confirmed SpaceXAI is building a fourth data center in Memphis, Tennessee, as the company agreed to remove 69 gas turbines over the next year following legal action claiming they violated the Clean Air Act. A permanent 1.2-gigawatt power plant will eventually replace the temporary turbines at the site.

Data Center Dynamics · Shelby Co., TN

The City of Prichard is considering a temporary moratorium on data centers after an application was submitted for a proposed $93 million facility, with council members debating the project's potential $4.5 million to $5 million annual revenue against concerns about infrastructure impacts and its proximity to the historic Africatown community.

AL.com · Mobile Co., AL

Congressional investigators report that a Marxist organization tied to Chinese funding organized opposition in Alabama to a $93 million data center project in Prichard, according to a Bitcoin Policy Institute report now held by the FBI. The campaign, allegedly orchestrated by a network connected to a Shanghai-based American businessman, has stalled an estimated $23.6 billion in data center investments across at least 14 states through local moratoria and blocked projects.

Yellowhammer News · Mobile Co., AL

East Tennessee cities are implementing restrictions on data centers and cryptocurrency mining facilities citing concerns about noise, energy consumption, air pollution, and environmental impact. The efforts follow a lawsuit by crypto company ExoticRidge against Hawkins County's ban, prompting communities including Bristol, Kingsport, Jonesborough, and Washington County to pass moratoriums or strict zoning regulations before facilities arrive.

Tennessee Lookout · Tennessee

Rep. Frank Pallone, ranking member of the House Committee on Energy, demanded SpaceX CEO Elon Musk provide records and a tour of AI data centers and power plants in Memphis, Tennessee, alleging the company's use of natural gas turbines without pollution controls or permits poses health risks to local communities.

Pluang · Shelby Co., TN

The top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee is demanding SpaceX CEO Elon Musk provide a tour of xAI data centers and power plants in Memphis, citing concerns about environmental impacts and community effects from AI infrastructure expansion.

CNBC · Shelby Co., TN

A U.S. House Democrat is demanding environmental and operational information from Elon Musk regarding xAI data centers in Tennessee and Mississippi, citing concerns about emissions, water usage, and potential clean-air permit violations involving natural gas turbines powering the AI facilities.

thenews.com.pk · Shelby Co., TN

Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. demanded that Elon Musk provide information about pollution from xAI's data centers in Tennessee and Mississippi, alleging the facilities operate gas turbines without required air permits in violation of the Clean Air Act.

qz.com · Shelby Co., TN

The Greater Birmingham Humane Society sued to stop construction of a $2 billion AI data center near its planned campus, alleging the project rushed through approvals in four months versus the shelter's 18-month review process. The shelter cited concerns about noise disrupting animal operations and welfare facilities.

inkl · Jefferson Co., AL · also at the-independent.com, The Independent

The Greater Birmingham Humane Society sued Birmingham and developers alleging they bypassed zoning rules to fast-track a $2 billion AI data center next to the nonprofit's planned veterinary campus. The humane society claims the data center's proximity and noise could harm its future animal welfare operations.

Business Insider · Jefferson Co., AL · also at aol.com

Trump and U.S. Sen. Tuberville have promoted Alabama as a destination for data centers, which can generate tax revenue for schools and services. Meta's Montgomery data center project will source electricity from two solar facilities in Baldwin County that will use panels manufactured by First Solar in Lawrence County.

Yellowhammer News · Alabama

Elon Musk's xAI data center campus in Memphis would rank second among Tennessee's top climate polluters if included in the rankings. The facility's Mississippi gas turbines are projected to emit 7-8 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually, and produce more nitrogen oxides than any facility in the tri-state region, with many turbines lacking pollution control equipment.

WPLN News · Shelby Co., TN

OpenAI announced plans for a 3.2 gigawatt data center called "Project Camellia" in Rincon, Georgia at the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub. The company will invest $20 billion in construction, commit $80 million in local support, and use a closed-loop water system, with phased development planned between 2028 and 2032.

AOL.com · Georgia

Fort Madison's Planning & Zoning Commission will meet Tuesday to discuss zoning ordinances related to extraterritorial zoning and high-impact developments, prompted by a proposed data center project at 2201 S. Business 61 South outside city limits.

Daily Gate City · Mississippi

OpenAI announced plans for a 3.2-gigawatt data center in Rincon, Georgia called Project Camellia, which will use a closed-loop water system and provide flexible power demand response to Georgia Power while committing $80 million in local support.

AOL.com · Georgia

About 100 Georgia residents rallied against a proposed data center called "Project Ruby," citing concerns that the Columbus city council ignored their opposition and lacked transparency in the permitting process. The protest reflects broader national scrutiny of data centers' demands on electricity grids and local resources.

The Cool Down · Georgia

Republican congressional candidate Case Dixon criticized special treatment for AI data centers in Alabama, arguing they should comply with the same permitting and environmental requirements as other industrial projects rather than receiving taxpayer subsidies or exemptions favored by politicians.

Alabama Political Reporter · Alabama

Two Alabama Democratic candidates—former U.S. Senator Doug Jones, running for governor, and state Rep. Phillip Ensler, running for lieutenant governor—are calling for a statewide moratorium on new data center development. They cite concerns about impacts on the power grid, water usage, and local quality of life, and want time for environmental review and public input before approving projects.

AL.com · Alabama

The Prichard City Council discussed a proposed temporary moratorium on new data center permits Thursday, following resident opposition to an Edged Energy project proposed for Telegraph Road. A council vote may occur the following week.

fox10tv.com · Mobile Co., AL

Residents in Foxborough, Lowndes County, are voicing concerns about a possible data center after the county rezoned approximately 719 acres to Light Manufacturing in July 2025. Though no formal proposal has been submitted, residents cite worries about noise, water usage, traffic, and property values.

WALB · Georgia

The Nashville Zoo rejected a memorandum of understanding from DC Blox that would have limited the proposed data center to an initial 69,000-square-foot facility and included a land gift to the zoo. The zoo's board unanimously voted down the proposal, citing safety concerns about operating a data center near vulnerable species and neighboring communities.

Nashville Scene · Davidson Co., TN

Memphis communities have battled a large data center project that was installed without democratic community input or proper permitting, according to an environmental justice nonprofit leader. The facility's methane gas turbines contribute to pollution in an already heavily polluted area with historical significance to African American residents.

Louisville Public Media · Shelby Co., TN

Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville supports data center expansion with requirements that facilities pay their own infrastructure and electricity costs without burdening residents. Democratic candidate Doug Jones calls for a six-month to one-year moratorium on new data center permits to allow communities time to assess environmental and economic impacts and establish transparency guardrails.

WTVA · Alabama