The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has asked a court to dismiss a Clean Air Act lawsuit over xAI's unpermitted natural gas turbines, arguing the company's AI is integral to Pentagon military operations and that halting it would threaten national security.
June 2026 · DOJ Filing
DOJ Calls xAI's Gas Turbines a Matter of National Security
The Justice Department moves to dismiss an environmental lawsuit over xAI's unpermitted gas turbines, arguing that Grok's government model powers "mission-critical" military operations — including recent strikes against Iran.
46+
Gas turbines running by May 2026 (up from 27)
495MW
Initial output — power for ~400,000 homes
1.1GW
Long-term target power capacity
Projected Emissions Increase
SELC estimate of expanding from 27 to 57 turbines
The DOJ's Argument
Shutting down the turbines would "cut off power to the AI innovation that supports Department of War military operations and threaten the national, economic, and energy security of the United States."
"Grok Gov" cited as one of four AI models running on Secret / Top-Secret networks
Declared to support national security missions, including "recent strikes against Iran"
Grid connection is limited, making the turbines effectively the primary power source
Residents & Environmental Groups
Unpermitted turbines burden an already-polluted community with high asthma rates — "constant jet-engine-like noise," higher risk of asthma and heart disease. "They should have obtained permits."
xAI & DOJ
The data center is essential to "cutting-edge AI and tools for the US government and millions of users." Without the turbines, xAI says it faces an abrupt shutdown.
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