Musk's Firms Spark Concern Over Disappearance of Federal Climate Tools:

Recently, significant changes were made to federal environmental and climate datasets. Notably, they were employed for pollution analysis related to Elon Musk's companies. As part of this alteration, several federal organizations, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and CDC, have stopped publishing pollution-related data and statistics on areas prone to various pollutions. Sadly, these resources were taken offline shortly after President Trump's instatement.

Key Tools Lost:

The missing resources include significant tools like EJScreen and the climate and economic justice screening tool (CEJST). These resources were utilized to map pollution levels in comparison to various socioeconomic indicators and recognize disadvantaged areas that could benefit from climate-related funding. Naomi Yoder from the Bullard Center voices concerns regarding not only the loss of data but its accessibility as well.

Effect on Musk's Companies:

These changes seem to affect communities around Musk's companies, such as those around his AI firm, xAI. XAI has initiated the development of the "Colossus", claimed to be the world's largest supercomputer, in South Memphis, Tennessee. Critics express concerns over the 15 gas turbines, operating to power the large data center, releasing pollutants into the surrounding community, which primarily consists of African American residents.

Concerns About SpaceX:

Musk's space company, SpaceX, is also introducing a potential threat to the environment, specifically in communities where they operate. The company is pursuing permission to launch starships from the Kennedy Space Center. SpaceX's application is associated with concerns from several environmental groups and advocates. They want the FAA to consider the project's potential impact on economically disadvantaged communities. The absence of federal environmental data makes it challenging to assess these impacts accurately.

In conclusion, the disappearance of critical climate and environmental datasets is causing alarm for environmental justice campaigners. They fear that this could significantly hinder efforts to protect some of the nation's most polluted communities.

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