By Samuel Hardiman, Daily Memphian Updated: July 07, 2025 9:47 AM CT | Published: July 07, 2025 4:00 AM CT There are many existing industrial polluters in the 38109 ZIP code, including the Valero Memphis Refinery. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file) Our audio player uses an automated voice, which may mispronounce words and names or fail to reflect the tone of an article. `; container.style.display = 'block'; const toggleBtn = document.getElementById('btn_toggle_audionative'); toggleBtn.addEventListener('click', e => { e.preventDefault(); container.style.display = container.style.display === 'none' ? 'block' : 'none'; }); if (toggleBtn) toggleBtn.style.display = 'flex'; const script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://elevenlabs.io/player/audioNativeHelper.js'; script.type = 'text/javascript'; document.body.appendChild(script); } loadWidget(); Air-emissions permits typically don’t attract much attention. They’re government minutiae, a regulatory step that occurs regularly behind the scenes in communities across the U.S. But not all air-emissions permits are created equal, especially when they involve Elon Musk. For months, the question of whether Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI should receive an air-emissions permit for 15 natural gas turbines has divided Memphians and pitted politicians against one another. It’s also been confused with whether xAI’s existing use of natural-gas turbines (which did not have an air emissions permit) was legal.