Mayor to homeowner losing sleep over data center plant: "Consider selling"

Jason Haley, a 46-year-old resident of Southaven, Mississippi, was awakened at 4 a.m. on a Sunday by a constant whirring noise emanating from a nearby data center plant. The noise and vibrations, caused by Elon Musk's xAI data centers, have been negatively impacting the health of Haley and two other Southaven residents who live within a mile of the plant. The lawsuit, filed in June, alleges that the near-constant noise is causing physical and psychological health issues.

The controversy surrounding data center development is growing nationwide, with a Gallup poll showing that the majority of Americans oppose the construction of a data center in their local area. Similar disputes are playing out in other cities, such as Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, and Lowell, Massachusetts, where residents have filed lawsuits alleging unreasonable and excessive noise from data center cooling centers.

Haley reached out to Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite about the noise, urging him to address the issue. While Musselwhite acknowledged the problem and was working on a solution with xAI officials, Haley continued to experience sleepless nights and health issues. He began speaking up at city government meetings, on social media, and through a grassroots coalition called Safe and Sound, drawing attention to the concerns surrounding xAI's operations in the region.

In response to Haley's concerns, Musselwhite advised him to consider selling his home, despite the fact that Haley was not interested in moving. Haley expressed his frustration, emphasizing that he didn't care whose project it was, as it was causing him significant distress. The situation highlights the ongoing tension between the rapid growth of data centers and the impact on the communities surrounding them.