New York has like, four of the biggest bitcoin mines in the whole country, and trust me, they’re a real headache. These places guzzle massive amounts of electricity and water to keep their servers cool, spewing out greenhouse gases and pollutants all day, every day. And get this—people who live nearby are going bonkers because of the constant humming noise these mines make.
Erin Robinson, a sociology professor living close to a bitcoin mine near the New York-Canada border, says she can hear the low hum from a mile and a half away. It’s like a never-ending buzzing that just won’t quit.
So, here’s the deal: Bitcoin, the big cheese of all cryptocurrencies, relies on miners who use powerful computers to crack codes for each transaction. These miners get rewarded with bitcoins for their efforts, but at a huge energy cost. And guess what? The price of electricity is the main factor in deciding where these mines set up shop.
Some miners are drawn to New York for its cheap electricity, especially in towns bordering Canada with lots of hydropower. Others snatch up decommissioned power plants to power their operations 24/7, causing a spike in greenhouse gas emissions.
Now, these small New York communities are fighting tooth and nail against these bitcoin mines, pulling out all the stops to shut them down. From local to state governance, they’re throwing everything they’ve got at these noisy, thirsty, and polluting operations.
The energy these mines use is a bit of a mystery, with the government still trying to figure it out. But one thing’s for sure: it’s a lot. In Greenidge Generation, a former coal plant turned gas plant near Seneca Lake, a bitcoin mine has been chugging away since March 2020, cranking out more greenhouse gases than ever before.
Despite a two-year moratorium on air permits for fossil fuel power plants serving cryptocurrency mines, Greenidge Generation managed to slip through the cracks, but not for long. In 2022, the Department of Environmental Conservation put its foot down, denying the plant’s air permit renewal due to its increased emissions.
But Greenidge Generation isn’t backing down. They’re appealing left and right, all while continuing to operate their power plant until the very last minute. The local community groups, like Seneca Lake Guardian, are standing their ground, fighting against the company’s appeals tooth and nail.
In North Tonawanda, residents banded together to impose a two-year ban on cryptocurrency mining, fed up with the noise and pollution from the Digi Power X mine. The fight isn’t over yet, though, as more battles loom on the horizon.
These mines are a headache for everyone, from the noisy fans cooling the servers to the massive water consumption. And don’t even get me started on the pollution and the strain on the local infrastructure. It’s a mess, and the people living nearby are the ones left to deal with it.
The future of cryptocurrency mining in New York is uncertain, with more conflicts brewing and more challenges ahead. The impact of these operations on the environment and the community is a growing concern, and it’s up to the residents to make their voices heard and push back against these polluting powerhouses.
