The noise of Bitcoin mining is driving Americans crazy
"It echoes across agricultural land and forests, chasing away deer. It seeps into walls, vibrating bedrooms and dinner tables." One resident said it was as though a "jet engine is forever stationed nearby".
Bitcoin mining has exploded in the US over the past decade, particularly in the wake of Donald Trump's re-election to the White House and his embrace of cryptocurrency. But it's an energy-intensive process: the powerful computers that create and protect the cryptocurrency need fans on the go constantly to cool them down. And across rural, mostly Republican towns, residents are getting sick of the noise – and getting sick, full stop.
Much of America's Bitcoin mining industry is in Texas, said Time, "home to giant power plants, lax regulation, and crypto-friendly politicians". In Granbury, where Marathon – one of the world's largest Bitcoin holders – has a mine, a group of people are being "worn thin from strange, debilitating illnesses". Some were experiencing fainting spells, chest pains, migraines and panic attacks; others were "wracked by debilitating vertigo and nausea. The mine is causing "mental and physical" health issues, said one ears, nose, and throat specialist based in Granbury. "Imagine if I had vuvuzela in your ear all the time."
Granbury Residents Demand Answers from MARA's Bitcoin Mine As Lawsuit Over Noise Nuisance Continues
Texas state court rejected MARA's dismissal bid, now residents are demanding that the cryptomine turn over documents
Granbury, TX —
Today, Citizens Concerned About Wolf Hollow, a community group composed of Granbury residents and represented by Earthjustice, filed a motion to compel in its lawsuit against MARA Holdings, Inc, asking the Texas State Court to require the cryptomining plant to turn over key information pertaining to the excessive noise the facility creates and the resulting nuisance level conditions. This comes on the heels of the Court denying MARA's motion to dismiss earlier this summer, a decision which allows the community group to move forward in the lawsuit. The cryptomining company has withheld basic information and documentation related to the excessive noise generated by its 24/7 cryptocurrency mining operations — noise that has caused ongoing harm to the surrounding community. Now, the community group is demanding answers, seeking much needed information including the equipment used at the plant, any mitigation measures the company has taken, and detailed noise pollution data.
(YT Warning) I Live 500 Feet From A Bitcoin Mine. My Life Is Hell.
In Texas, the legal limit for noise is 85dB. Researchers have found that prolonged exposure can impact hearing and cardiovascular health, increased blood pressure and heart rate.
Other potential risks include headaches, dizziness, and psychological effects.85dB is considered industrial noise inside of a plant. That would mean that you would have to wear hearing protection all the time at your home.
...Teresa lives 18 miles from Corsicana, Texas, where Riot Platforms is building out what is expected to be one of the largest bitcoin mining operations in the world. We decided, well, what better place to build a one gigawatt site?
Teresa is concerned about Bitcoin's demand for water. Corsicana's mine is projected to use up to 1.5 million gallons of water per day.That's an eighth of the city's water supply. She took us to nearby Navarro Lake, which she says dries up every 4 to 5 years.
"So this is the lake that you are concerned that that the Bitcoin mining companies could be drawing water from?"
"Yes. You've got a lot of people that have moved into this area. The last thing we needed was more pressure on this lake. I know I can survive without electricity. I do know that. I can't survive without water."...
All of this makes it even more damning that the politicians representing the residents we spoke to are all in on Bitcoin. Which brings us to the crypto money in politics.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz received a $350,000 donation from Bitcoin Freedom PAC in 2024, in a tight reelection race against Democratic challenger Colin Allred. The same year, Cruz announced he was getting into the Bitcoin business himself, announcing on X he bought his own miners and started running them in Iran, Texas. Cruz was commended by Marathon Digital's CEO and welcomed to the club.
...According to Public Citizen, crypto corporations provided nearly half of the $248 million in corporate money to influence federal elections in 2024 and the industry has gotten exactly what they paid for. Efforts to regulate crypto at the state and federal level have been largely unsuccessful.
Rural Cheyenne Residents Have A Noisy New Neighbor — A Bitcoin Miner
Michigan school sues over constant noise from Bitcoin mining rigs
Norway Considers Restricting Bitcoin Mining
The Norwegian government will consider by autumn the possibility of banning the establishment of new cryptocurrency mining enterprises using energy-intensive algorithms like Proof-of-Work (PoW).
According to the head of the Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation, Karianne Tung, this activity "offers little to local communities in terms of jobs and income."
"This is energy we could use differently – in industry or for the operation of socially beneficial data centres," she added.
The authorities will conduct a comprehensive study of the sector. Existing enterprises are required to register by July 1.
Energy Minister Terje Aasland referred to the additional burden mining places on generating capacity, networks, and infrastructure.
"By prohibiting energy-intensive cryptocurrency mining, we can free up land, electricity, and network capacity for other purposes that contribute more to value creation, jobs, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions," he stated.
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The excellent student run newspaper, The Michigan Daily, has an article about the necessity of regulating Bitcoin. "Mining" even a single Bitcoin now burns as much electricity as a family would use during about 50 days.
Local grids physically cannot withstand this outrageous consumption of electricity. In foreign countries — where mining farm clustering is more severe — local governments suspect Bitcoin mining farms as the cause of power outages and complete blackouts. Entire neighborhoods are facing power shortages or complete outages as a result of energy grid strain. So far, the reliance on domestic energy has not had adverse effects, but it is only a matter of time before these blackouts begin to take place in the United States, too.
Despite the fatal externality flaws in Bitcoin mining, the industry is left unchecked in the absence of federal or international regulation on its use. Unfortunately, without restrictions on the amount of mining that can occur, there is no clear plateau to the electricity consumption of these constantly updating hardware systems.
Previously:
(2025) Bitcoin Mining is Making People Sick
(2025) The Guy Who Accidentally Threw Away $700 Million in Bitcoin Wants to Buy the Landfill to Find It
(2024) How A 27-Year-Old Busted The Myth Of Bitcoin's Anonymity
(Score: 3, Interesting) by krishnoid on Wednesday October 22, @05:30AM
I'll just leave this here [archive.org], as even intermittent noise has significant cognitive effects.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by VLM on Wednesday October 22, @11:51AM
Pretty dumb to regulate the cause of the noise for one specific problematic source, just implement a saner general ban (with reasonable exemptions)
In my state its mostly municipal and with various exceptions etc you're regulated to a max of 77 at the property line during the day and 60 at night for continuous BAU noise. If, at the property line, you cant talk over the sound of your air conditioner, technically that is ticketable (assuming normal convo is around 60 db)
The few exceptions seem reasonable. Snowblowers being actively used to move snow and lawn care equipment actively being used for lawn care are exempt, temporary construction equipment has different limits and times, industrial zones have different limits and times (although not by much), horn or signaling device actively being used momentarily for safety purposes are exempt, short term street excavations and street repairs are exempt with the goal of reducing inconvenience to everyone else in the city during the day, etc.
The cops also have the ability to regulate "loud or excessive noise" in their opinion, and there's always good old "disturbing the peace". Those tickets apply to a person or organization making the noise. Noise ordinances apply to the property owner regardless who causes the noise. This creates legal friction occasionally WRT rentals.
My state has no legal noise limit. AFAIK the 85 dB claim is a federal osha violation, it may or may not be a state of texas violation.
(Score: 0, Offtopic) by epitaxial on Wednesday October 22, @12:33PM (1 child)
They voted for Trump so fuck 'em. Don't want to hear any bitching.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 22, @07:59PM
Hard to hear them over a 85dB continuous white noise anyway. Just sayin'.
Rural Cheyenne Residents Have A Noisy New Neighbor — A Bitcoin Miner [cowboystatedaily.com]
Michigan school sues over constant noise from Bitcoin mining rigs [datacenterdynamics.com]
(Score: 1, Flamebait) by ElizabethGreene on Wednesday October 22, @06:26PM (2 children)
This isn't about noise. It's NIMBY.
(Score: 3, Touché) by c0lo on Wednesday October 22, @08:00PM
Oh, really? And where's anything supporting your assertion?
https://www.youtube.com/@ProfSteveKeen https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 28, @11:43AM
Who wants industrial noise in their backyard? Even if it does mean the house was really cheap.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 24, @10:05AM
Where I live has a suburb which has been treated like a drag strip for decades. The actions of hoons is illegal and unwanted. It is not the only place they do this. The effect on residents is awful.
Cars with rumbling engines that can be heard for blocks, sound systems that doof doof across the suburb, squealing from brakes, horns, people screaming, it just goes on and on. Earplugs don't really help. The vibrations go through you. Double glass and insulation can help, but then you find yourself locked up in your own home for months with limited fresh air. Air con works but eventually you wonder why you can't just open the window.
With this comes the associated antisocial behaviour. Graffiti covering houses, fences, footpaths and recently roads.
The local council said they would fix this. Find the hoons, stop the anti social behaviour, put an end to Friday night drag strip racing, stop the suburn hooning. It is still going on. Every summer it gets worse. Burnouts, theft, harassement of locals. Above all, the noise.
Sadly, I am not in a position to move. It is easy to say 'go somewhere else'. What I have found is that many places are like this. People are the problem.
I feel for those who are affected by industrial noise. The only solution there may be to move away. Expensive, but sometimes the only way. I know it is the solution I have to take. It is the only way not to feel sick by the vibration and sounds caused by inconsiderate asshats.