North Carolina County Protects Environment With Temporary Crypto Mining Ban

Key Points:

• North Carolina county proposes one-year crypto mining ban.
• Ban applies to server farms but not single-device mining.
• Ban motivated by environmental damage, noise pollution, and more.

Buncombe County in North Carolina is considering a one-year ban on cryptocurrency mining due to its negative effects on the environment including high electricity consumption, electronic waste, and noise pollution.

The proposed ban is motivated by concerns about the impact of crypto mining on the local environment and public health. Officials intend to define crypto mining as a specific land use and differentiate cryptocurrency mining from other data center applications. The ban will apply to server farms with three or more computers, but not to single-device mining. The moratorium will begin on May 2, 2023, if approved after a public hearing.

North Carolina has been in the news for mining-related stories, including noise complaints in Cherokee County, which is located about 100 miles from Buncombe County. Although Cherokee County does not have its own ban, certain groups, including Sierra Club, are petitioning the county to impose a ban on the practice.

In addition to North Carolina, various other jurisdictions have imposed their own restrictions on crypto mining. For instance, British Columbia, following suit from a number of other Canadian provinces, imposed a temporary ban on crypto mining in December 2022. New York also advanced a time-limited ban on certain crypto-mining operations in the summer of 2022. The ban was ultimately enacted months later in November.

Despite the benefits of cryptocurrency mining, including the potential to generate profits, create jobs, and support technological innovation, the negative effects of crypto mining on the local environment, public health, and energy infrastructure have become a growing concern. As a result, more and more governments and municipalities are considering or imposing restrictions on crypto mining operations.

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