For generations, Krystal Polk's family lived simply on their two-acre property in Southaven, Mississippi, raising chickens and pigs, growing onions and herbs and trading peaches for pears.
The land has been passed down through four generations and remained central to family life. Polk, 52, said her family acquired it 'before people of color were allowed to have land'.
Polk said, her parents later found 'KKK' scrawled at the bottom of the hill. A year ago, however, a power plant appeared across the street, creating what Polk describes as an unbearable noise that eventually drove her family away.
The plant powers Elon Musk's SpaceXAI data centres in the Memphis area and has faced growing opposition from Southaven residents.
A petition organised by the resident-run Safe and Sound Coalition has collected more than 1,400 signatures calling for the plant to be shut down.
A Family Home Overwhelmed by Noise
Per a report by CBS News, Polk said she remembers hearing birds chirping at the family home. Now, she said the plant's 'constant roaring' remains in her ears even after she leaves.
'It's like you're in the middle of the airport where the planes are taking off, but they never take off,' she said.
The property had been a place for family celebrations. Polk churned her own ice cream there as a child, held her rehearsal dinner there and hosted holidays. 'We gathered there and we thanked God for what we had,' she said. 'It was always a celebration.'
Polk had planned to return to the property after retirement and eventually pass it to her children. Those plans are now on hold. She said the family also has asthma and is concerned about fumes from the plant's gas turbines.
SpaceXAI said in a July press release that it was investing millions of dollars in sound walls and silencers using 'advanced quieting technologies'. Residents said that one sound wall installed so far has provided little relief.
Musk began expanding his Memphis-area footprint with Colossus 1 in 2024. Two more data centres were announced by January 2026, followed by confirmation of another, 'Minihard', in July.
The projects are expected to total more than $20 billion (£14.67 billion) in investments in Southaven, which Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said would 'bring amazing opportunities to its residents for generations.'
Pollution Concerns and a Fight Over the Land
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and other groups sued xAI and its subsidiary MZX Tech in April, alleging that the plant 'emits significant amounts of harmful pollutants'.
SpaceXAI filed a motion to dismiss in June, while the Department of Justice also moved to intervene and dismiss the case, saying it 'concerns national security and Mississippi's lawful action regarding permitting'.
Under an agreement with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, the 69 temporary turbines will be removed and replaced with 41 permanent turbines over a year. EmPower Analytics Group said the planned turbines would increase air pollution and that the effects would be concentrated in disproportionately Black communities.
MDEQ said MZX Tech had to demonstrate that the facility would not violate air quality standards and that it remains committed to protecting public health and the environment.
Resident Shannon Samsa, a 27-year-old physician assistant and director of the Safe and Sound Coalition, said the issue is personal.
'It's not just my neighbours, it's not just my family and friends, it's my future patients,' she said. 'It's also a huge healthcare issue.'
Polk's property has also attracted interest from potential buyers. She said Cushman & Wakefield approached her with an offer, which she repeatedly rejected before filing a Better Business Bureau complaint alleging harassment and manipulation.
The firm said it was exploring an acquisition for an unidentified client and denied using 'harassment, pressure tactics, or inappropriate conduct'.
Polk declined to reveal the offer, saying 'it was not worth anything'. Selling is complicated because keeping the land was her father's dying wish.
'He asked me to please keep it as much as I could within reason,' she said. 'I'm not sure if you could offer a value.'
