The xAI files
An investigation by Rachel Hurley · Memphis and Southaven

Did xAI follow the rules? Did the agencies do their jobs? Is anyone even capable of overseeing all of this?

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The records war

Who I asked, when, and what came back

Every records request filed in this investigation, with where it stands. A filled dot is the day it was filed. A hollow dot is the date the agency itself gave. The red line is today.

The records themselves

Read what came back

The records agencies have sent back are going into a public archive, one file at a time. Search any word, open any file, and see whether anyone has gone through it yet.

Open the archive →
107 filed32 answered with records47 waiting on the agency10 past due18 closed or referred
JulAugSepOctNovDecJan
today

Memphis-Shelby County Schools

Attendance data, 38109 schools0003297
Records produced in part. Follow-up questions are with the district.

Tennessee Department of Health

Asthma ER data 38109 and 38106
Fee estimate accepted. Waiting on the data and the invoice. Their date is January 15.

TDEC

Complaint records, the thirteen families questionID-14900
Answered in writing.
Maxson reuse permits and capacityID-14969
Answered by referral, no records produced.
Construction General Permit and construction stormwaterID-15032
Answered by referral, no records produced.
SOP-24025 combined follow-up: final-draft markup, agreements, hearing record, drawings, wetlands
Filed, awaiting a reply.
What did Tennessee do with Mississippi's notice of the xAI permit?
Answered: the agency says it has no records.
What did xAI tell Tennessee about hazardous waste at Colossus 2?
Past due. No records, no date given. Their date was November 4.

MDEQ (Mississippi)

Southaven permit file and complaints
Records produced.
Turbine serials, 12-month clocks, swap records
Answered in writing. Records produced in part; some withheld as attorney work product.
The July 30, 2026 turbine removal agreement
Answered in writing. Records produced in part; some withheld as attorney work product.
Turbine removal reports since 8/1 and the Permit Board appeal file
Records produced in part, through MDEQ's shared folder. The Permit Board hearing is set for November 10.
The two August 10, 2026 Clean Water Act warning letters and the MSR109658 stormwater file
Records produced.
FC&E contract, invoices and who paid for the MZX permit work
Records produced in part.
Filings under Commissioner Gipson's July 14, 2026 data center memo
Answered October 2 and October 20, 2026. MDEQ holds one record that refers to the memo, SpaceXAI's August 28, 2026 letter.
MDEQ's log of public records requests since January 2024
Past due. No records, no date given. Their date was October 20.
Follow-up: who wrote and who paid for the Southaven permit work, and the Gipson memo
Answered in part October 20, 2026. MDEQ sent FC&E Engineering's general air-permitting work order, said MZX Tech did not choose to pay for the contractor's review, and said FC&E was used under MDEQ's standing contract. It also said SpaceXAI's August 28 letter is the only record it holds that refers to the Gipson memo. The rest is still to come.
The Shelby County 60 km emissions inventory MDEQ made for Trinity in March 2025
Answered: the agency showed the file was already in records it produced earlier.
MDEQ's record of its 14 September site visit, three questions on the amended order, and air monitoring near Southaven
Filed, awaiting a reply. Their date was November 9.
What did xAI tell Mississippi about hazardous waste at its two Southaven sites?
Past due. No records, no date given. Their date was November 4.
What MDEQ holds on power for Gun Range and Spam
Filed, awaiting a reply. Their date is November 11.

EPA

Oversight and enforcement2026-EPA-06630
Records produced in part. EPA expects to finish by March 1, 2027.
The 411K monitor grant2026-EPA-06631
Records produced.
Previously-released records - the Memphis file, requested seven times2026-EPA-07701
Records produced.
Previously-released records - three air-office calendars2026-EPA-07702
Closed by EPA: it says none of the six earlier calendar requests has had records released yet.
Previously-released records - the COMET petition file2026-EPA-07703
Records produced.
Previously-released records - CTC Property documents held by the Administrator's office2026-EPA-07750
Acknowledged, no records yet. Their date is December 14.
EPA's KARNO determination for Hyliion - the file behind it2026-EPA-07757
First partial answer: EPA pointed me to its reading room for two items and withheld the company's technical brief; the rest is still in process. Their date was October 8.
Previously-released records - nine more requests about the Memphis and Stateline facilities2026-EPA-07758
Answered. The earlier requests it asked about had produced no records.
The Riverview monitor grant - what EPA never searched2026-EPA-07760
EPA extended its answer to December 15, 2026. Their date is December 15.
Previously-released records - EPA's split of one request by office2026-EPA-07794
Records produced.
Appeal to EPA for faster processing and a fee waiver2027-EPA-00466
Filed, awaiting a reply.
Two EPA air officials' calendars
Acknowledged, no records yet. Their date is November 23.

TVA

Colossus power contract and NEPAFR_0253_26
The agency asked for a clarification; the clarified request is back with it. Their date was October 1.
Tulane Road power supply arrangementFR_0258_26
Past due. No records, no date given. Their date was October 9.
Reclaimed water to the Allen plant from the Colossus Water Recycling PlantFR_0337_26
Past due. No records, no date given. Their date was November 5.
TVA's FOIA request log since January 2024FR_0010_27
Answered in writing.
Any non-disclosure agreement TVA signed with xAI's CTC PropertyFR_0015_27
Filed, awaiting a reply. Their date is November 13.

DeSoto County (Mississippi)

Darana liens, chancery case file, Texas Gas easements
Closed by the agency and referred elsewhere.
Darana v MZX complaint, cause 2026-523
Answered by referral to the court's online records system, no records produced.

State Fire Marshal

Jurisdiction and audits
Records produced.

State Open Records Counsel

State Open Records Counsel review of four MLGW requests22105
Filed, awaiting a reply.
Follow-up on five City requests re-dated with no records22197
Answered in writing.
22448 - EDGE, 90 days to inspect the xAI emails, no batches, and the 3,000 never itemized
Filed, awaiting a reply.

City of Southaven (Mississippi)

Tax and incentive agreements, noise limits and site approvals at the Stanton Road plant
Answered in writing.
Nondisclosure agreements Southaven officials signed on the xAI project
Answered: the agency says it has no records.
Jerry Street Park noise monitors, the police grant and donation, and the city's outside lawyers
Filed, awaiting a reply. Their date was October 19.
Southaven's files on Gun Range, Spam, the battery field and the Colonial Hills houses
Filed, awaiting a reply. Their date is November 11.
Of Southaven - fuel storage, fuel lines and fire permits at the 2875 Stanton Road turbines
Filed, awaiting a reply. Their date is November 17.
Southaven's noise readings, texts and any noise agreement with xAI
Filed, awaiting a reply. Their date is November 17.

Port Commission (EDGE)

The Port Commission director's calendar for the March 28, 2024 meeting
Records produced in part.
The xAI lease at Pidgeon Industrial Park and EDGE's file on recruiting xAI
The agency wants an estimated $3,000 paid before it produces anything. I asked for the cost item by item.
The Port Commission's payments to EDGE and its receipts from the xAI lease, 2020-2025
Filed, awaiting a reply. Their date was November 10.

MLGW

Correspondence, cutoff notices, billingPRR-2026-997
MLGW sent two years of the Colossus 1 power bills on November 6th, showing seven cut-off notices. More records are promised on a rolling basis.
Interconnection and export configurationPRR-2026-1003
Records produced in part.
Water side contracts and consumptionPRR-2026-1009
Records produced in part. MLGW marked the request complete October 30th without the monthly water bills.
How signature authority is verified on easementsPRR-2026-1031
Records produced.
Notices to CTC Property and xAI under the NDA before answering records requestsPRR-2026-1288
Extended by the agency, no records yet. Their date was November 10.
Gas service to the xAI campusesPRR-2026-1348
Extended by the agency, no records yet. Their date is November 13.
The pending request for about 300 MW of new electric servicePRR-2026-1494
Past due. No records, no date given. Their date was November 3.
Approval of the $13,023,977.04 substation credit signed 27 March 2025PRR-2026-1495
Past due. No records, no date given. Their date was November 3.

Shelby County

Turbine compliance records and the complete permit fileA17493-26
Records produced in part.
Commission Clerk, TVA-MLGW resolution
Records produced in part.
Assessor - xAI assessments and leased equipment
Answered by referral, no records produced.
The complete Tulane Road turbine permit fileA17510-26
Records produced in part.
Hazard Mitigation Plan and battery storageA17508-26
Answered in writing.
SCHD correspondence and the monitor grant fileA17494-26
Records produced in part.
Board of Equalization - xAI appeals and reviews
Records produced in part.
The Health Department's Tulane Road turbine permit and notice fileA17606-26
Past due. No records, no date given. Their date was November 6.
Notices the county sent xAI about two records requests
Answered: the agency says it has no records.
Tulane Road battery permits, inspections and site plan review
Past due. No records, no date given. Their date was November 6.
County staff calendars for the March 28, 2024 meetingA17588-26
Answered: the agency says it has no records.
Signed non-disclosure agreements between the Sheriff's Office and xAI's CTC Property
Produced October 16th, after saying on October 8th it had no records: one email chain - the Chamber sent the NDA to police, the Sheriff, the FBI and Homeland Security. No signed copy came with it.
The air board's December 15, 2025 minutes, order and vote on the Colossus 1 appealA17601-26
The County answered one of my two October 8th requests with \"not the proper custodian\" and has not said which one. I have asked. Their date was November 6.
The Health Department's March 2024 turbine review, EPA's reply, and the time-limit commitments for the temporary turbinesA17608-26
Answered: the agency says it has no records.
What did Shelby County do with Mississippi's notice of the xAI permit?A17617-26
Answered in writing.
Assessed values, owners and appeals for EDGE and Industrial Development Board PILOT properties, 2014-2025
Filed, awaiting a reply. Their date is November 13.
Records of the County Commission's ad hoc committee on PILOTsA17630-26
Extended by the agency, no records yet. Their date is November 20.
What the Trustee billed and actually collected on EDGE and Industrial Development Board PILOTs, 2014-2025
Filed, awaiting a reply. Their date is November 19.
DRAFT - Shelby County - current status of the Megapack permits at 3231 Paul R LowryA17638-26
Filed, awaiting a reply. Their date is November 16.

City of Memphis

Fire records - Megapack fire-safety fileW044967-070226
The City closed this as filled, but the set offered for pick-up was pipe drawings for the water plant, not the battery file. The City's records office has been asked to send the right files. Nothing has been paid. Their date was November 4.
Wastewater and pretreatmentW045218-072126
Extended by the agency, no records yet. Their date is November 18.
Correspondence with xAI entitiesW045219-072126
Extended by the agency, no records yet. Their date is December 2.
Plant Rd appraisal, PSA and Ord 5953W045220-072126
Records produced in part. My follow-up on the missing item is with the City.
COM-NEW-26-000102 fileW045262-072326
Extended by the agency, no records yet. Their date is November 19.
Building permit, plan review and high-voltage fee schedulesW045458-072926
Closed by the agency and referred elsewhere.
The four opaque ROW recordsW045457-072926
Extended by the agency, no records yet. Their date is November 20.
Battery pre-incident planning and response capacityW045456-072926
Extended by the agency, no records yet. Their date is November 19.
Tulane Road battery-yard permits, inspections and site plan reviewW046330-090426
Closed by the agency and referred elsewhere.
Notifications to xAI about the battery records requests W044967 and W045456W046365-090926
Extended by the agency, no records yet. Their date is November 30.
Council Records 2B-08 - the Ordinance 5882 withdrawal record and 45 archived speaker cardsW046366-090926
The City closed this with another request's files. I asked it to reopen the request on October 8th and haven't heard back. Their date was October 8.
The Paul Lowry Extension study level, coordination plan, the 27 August cancellation and the 8 September pauseW046367-090926
Closed by the agency and referred elsewhere.
The June 2025 EnSafe air sampling contract, scope and full resultsW046368-090926
Extended by the agency, no records yet. Their date is November 20.
The March 28, 2024 calendars of Adams, Knecht, Faulkner and ZeanahW046961-092326
Extended by the agency, no records yet. Their date is December 7.
The March 28, 2024 calendar of MPD Deputy Chief Joe OakleyW046962-092326
Extended by the agency, no records yet. Their date is December 7.
Council Records 2B-08 - the three unread instruments - Ord 5947, Ord 5986, and the instrument Green says existsW046963-092326
Answered in writing - the Council's records office says it has none archived.
Signed non-disclosure agreements between Memphis police and xAI's CTC PropertyW047488-100726
Answered October 15th: the City found no responsive records. My other questions are now a second request.
911 and dispatch calls for service at the xAI Colossus 1 siteW047555-100926
On hold at the agency pending paperwork or a fee. Their date is November 16.
Did the Memphis City Council ever approve the Port Commission's lease to xAI's company?W047672-101526
Extended by the agency, no records yet. Their date was November 4.
Signed non-disclosure agreements between Memphis police and xAI's CTC Property (second request)W047679-101526
Acknowledged, no records yet. Their date is December 7.
The March 28, 2024 calendars of Scott Morgan, Angelo Lamar and Eric RobinsonW047722-101926
Extended by the agency, no records yet. Their date is November 30.
How the Orion 9X battery slide deck reached the City Council, and any City dealings with the companyW047806-102226
Extended by the agency, no records yet. Their date is November 12.
What the City billed and collected on EDGE and Industrial Development Board PILOTs, and other EDGE payments to the City, 2014-2025W047957-103026
Extended by the agency, no records yet. Their date is November 13.

Other

The Corps' files on the Port's withdrawn 2024 Pidgeon rail spur and its 2011 wetland determination for the 700-acre tract
Acknowledged, no records yet. Their date is November 24.
Park Service comments on the Tulane Road turbine modeling plan
Filed, awaiting a reply. Their date is November 20.
EPA's 2025 answer to Public Citizen's xAI inquiry
Filed, awaiting a reply.
State FastTrack and other grants routed through EDGE, 2014-2025 - payouts, contracts, job reports and clawbacks
Filed, awaiting a reply. Their date was November 10.

Filed July 2 onward. Statuses as of November 11; the red line is the day you are reading this. Each request has its own note in the investigation file; when an essay uses what came back, that record is pinned to the board above.

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