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By Kermit Moore, President of the NAACP Memphis Branch
As President of the NAACP Memphis Branch and a lifelong advocate for community change, I have seen our city face numerous environmental hurdles. None, however, have been quite as jarring as the recent race to build the world’s largest data centers right in our backyard.
Memphis and Shelby County have unexpectedly become the epicenter of this tech boom. The “Colossus 1” facility was built behind closed doors, completely bypassing proper community transparency. When our branch and local residents dug for answers, we uncovered a disturbing reality: the facility planned to rely on gas turbines, pumping harmful pollutants into our air. Worse still, it began operating without a permit. We stepped in to fight back because the law applies to everyone—even tech billionaires.
The human toll of this decision is already visible through health impacts, quality of life, and resource risks, all while driving up utility bills.
Citizens should not have to bear the health and financial costs of untested, corporate decisions.
Our local battle is part of a much larger crisis. Through the national Stop Dirty Data campaign, the NAACP—at the local, state, and national levels—is fighting alongside community partners to protect our shared air and water, as well as our wallets.
Citizens should not have to bear the health and financial costs of untested, corporate decisions. This is a defining moment to ensure local governments step up and prove that no corporation is above the law. We cannot sit silently while profits are prioritized over public health.
Moving forward, tech companies must become true stewards of the communities they enter. They must respect public will and stop concentrating pollution in already overburdened neighborhoods.
No Dirty Data Center.
Kermit Moore, President of the NAACP Memphis Branch