Frank Pallone Demands xAI Data on Data Center Emissions

U.S. Representative Frank Pallone, the lead Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, demanded documents and information from Elon Musk regarding the environmental and public health impacts of xAI's Colossus 1 and Colossus 2 data centers. In a letter sent Wednesday, Pallone requested specific data on emissions, water usage, power consumption, and the turbines used at the facilities in Tennessee and Mississippi.

The inquiry follows reports that xAI installed 59 natural gas turbines for the Colossus 2 project without federal clean-air permits. These turbines were allegedly placed near predominantly Black communities where emissions exceed typical permit thresholds. Pallone accused the company of showing a "disregard for the health and well-being of local communities."

This congressional push comes after representatives reported that the company had been unwilling to provide sufficient information during previous committee meetings. The investigation focuses on whether the push for AI expansion is bypassing legal environmental protections and harming local property values and public health.