Rural US communities face challenges from bitcoin mining
In the serene town of Dresden located on the shores of Seneca Lake in New York, the daily ringing of the fire whistle at noon has become a familiar sound to the 300 residents. This small-town life’s rhythm, however, is disrupted by the constant mechanical noise emanating from the Greenidge Generation plant. Originally a coal-fired facility, it now serves as a natural gas peaking plant and runs a power-hungry bitcoin mine since 2019.
Residents like Winton Buddington and retired nurse Beth Cain express their concerns about the detrimental effects of the plant’s operations. Buddington notes the shift in the town’s peaceful ambiance since Atlas Holdings acquired the property, while Cain highlights the stress-inducing impact of constant noise akin to having tinnitus.
Apart from noise pollution, the plant’s environmental impact on the region also raises alarms among locals. Yvonne Taylor, vice president of Seneca Lake Guardian, emphasizes the threat posed by Greenidge to the area known for its wineries and Mennonite farms, crucial for the local economy, relying heavily on clean air and water.
Furthermore, large-scale crypto-mining operations like Greenidge consume exorbitant amounts of energy. The plant, generating 44 megawatts by 2021, with the capacity to power up to 40,000 homes, functions by utilizing thousands of computer servers to solve mathematical problems validating blockchain transactions.
According to Colin Read, author of The Bitcoin Dilemma, the energy-intensive process of mining bitcoin generates significant emissions, confirmed by Greenidge’s emission data reported by Earthjustice. The facility’s carbon dioxide and CO2 equivalent emissions in 2023 equated to over 170,000 cars’ tailpipe emissions, underscoring the adverse environmental impact of crypto mining operations.
With 137 crypto mining facilities operational in the US, the expansion of such operations is expected to increase under the current administration. President Trump’s favorable stance towards bitcoin companies is anticipated to ease regulations, facilitating their penetration into rural areas like West Texas with abundant energy resources.
In addition to environmental concerns, residents fear the ecological repercussions of the Greenidge plant’s water usage. Drawing and dumping massive quantities of water from Seneca Lake daily, the facility’s discharged warm water raises water temperature, potentially causing harmful algae blooms detrimental to aquatic life and human health.
Efforts to challenge the facility’s operations through legal action and expert intervention have yet to yield results. Locals remain vigilant about the facility’s impact on the region and continue to raise awareness regarding the detrimental consequences of crypto mining on rural communities.
