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DOJ claims xAI's gas turbines are a matter of 'national and energy security'

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Re: DOJ claims xAI's gas turbines are a matter of 'national and energy security'

#11
The national security and defense arguments are fortunately the only things that protect any forward progress. Without DoD cover, every Starlink launch would be governed by the California Coastal Commission and friends. Frankly, living in the Bay Area, where people use anti-pollution laws to prevent student housing, I think I understand a little the law structure of the United States. It is perhaps analogous to the way Jewish people treat the halakha. The idea being that if you can find a way around the law, it is meant to be operated that way. So students are noise pollution, bike lanes need environmental impact reports while highways don't, solar power is polluting while gas isn't, endangered species genetically identical to common species are discovered when they would block dams, and 50 years of having a Nuclear Regulatory Commission means exactly one reactor approved by them built.

So there's outrage and all that, but this is the fundamental law of the USA: the law is the Word; and all bugs in it are features.

For the most part, I get why this helps the USA. But boy does it feel like there's going to be a reckoning one day.

Re: DOJ claims xAI's gas turbines are a matter of 'national and energy security'

#13
post #11

The national security and defense arguments are fortunately the only things that protect any forward progress. Without DoD cover, every Starlink launch would be governed by the California Coastal Commission and friends. Frankly, living in the Bay Area, where people use anti-pollution laws to prevent student housing, I think I understand a little the law structure of the United States. It is perhaps analogous to the w…

[deleted]

Re: DOJ claims xAI's gas turbines are a matter of 'national and energy security'

#15
post #10
post #7

Is the plan to use the gas turbines temporarily until the grid connection is upgraded?

Its obviously a permanent fixture. And well, electricity by virtue of having been around for 100+ years as a mass market product has been utterly ossified, saddled with far too onerous regulations and taxes and is being driven by inflexible, uninterested practitioners. Of course someone will go „its just energy“ and use almost free natural gas. In some places in the US a diesel generator with gas from the pump is lik…

Think this applies to Texas ercot? Seems to be doing well, but not sure if its energy market is more free than in other states

Re: DOJ claims xAI's gas turbines are a matter of 'national and energy security'

#17
post #11

The national security and defense arguments are fortunately the only things that protect any forward progress. Without DoD cover, every Starlink launch would be governed by the California Coastal Commission and friends. Frankly, living in the Bay Area, where people use anti-pollution laws to prevent student housing, I think I understand a little the law structure of the United States. It is perhaps analogous to the w…

Also the law is not static. Things can go back and forth. Out of phase with whatever trends in news cycles. Watch the Germans debating Nuclear phase out over 30 years.

Re: DOJ claims xAI's gas turbines are a matter of 'national and energy security'

#19
post #2

Ugh, what violation of local law can't be excused by specious "national security" claims? > resulting in a corresponding increase in three major air pollutants: Sometimes I wonder how valuable it would be to go to vulnerable areas (ecologically or socio-economically) and record baseline pollution, noise, etc. readings, simply to give future residents some statistical ammunition against some New Thing ruins the old im…

> what violation of local law can't be excused by specious "national security" claims?

None. If this continues, the economy pivots to profits to the President.

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