SoylentNews

c0lo [soylentnews.org] writes:

The noise of Bitcoin mining is driving Americans crazy [theweek.com]

"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 [earthjustice.org]

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. [youtube.com]

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 [cowboystatedaily.com]

Michigan school sues over constant noise from Bitcoin mining rigs [datacenterdynamics.com]

Norway Considers Restricting Bitcoin Mining [forklog.com]

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.

Original Submission