Across America, the surge in Bitcoin mining operations is transforming quiet, rural communities into industrial zones, triggering a wave of complaints about noise and environmental pollution. These mines contain thousands of computer rigs that run 24/7, playing a game of logic to verify digital currency transactions and mint new coins. Their presence is having welcome benefits, as seen in places like New York’s Finger Lakes region and small towns across North Carolina. These operations use hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of electricity a month and produce very high levels of noise, resulting in community opposition and costly lawsuits.

Noise and Environmental Impact

Bitcoin mines waste a massive source of energy. In 2023, they used about 70 terawatt-hours of electricity. That’s more than the annual energy consumption of the entire state of New Jersey! These mines mostly use non-renewable sources to power their operations. Consequently, data centers use about 2% of the country’s total electric consumption, spurring debate about their environmental footprint.

The environmental destruction was particularly highlighted by the Greenidge Generation crypto mine near Dresden, New York. In 2024, the facility released more than 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the air, exacerbating greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

For people who live around these mines, the invasive noise created by blasting is a serious problem. Cyndie Roberson, who purchased her dream retreat on North Carolina’s Hiawassee River in 2020, felt this effect first hand.

"It's like a jet engine that never leaves" - Cyndie Roberson

That constant racket of industrial fans from a local bitcoin mine drove her away, prompting her to sell her home and move.

Community Resistance and Legal Battles

Communities on the frontlines of these unwanted intrusions are increasingly pushing back against the harmful, chill-inducing intrusion of Bitcoin mines. In Murphy, North Carolina, an advocacy group successfully lobbied for a ban on new crypto mines, setting a precedent for local control.

In Granbury, Texas, residents sued a bitcoin mining company after the operation brought excessive noise pollution into their community. They say the unrelenting racket is leading to permanent hearing loss and migraines, dramatically reducing their quality of life.

Environmental groups in New York are pushing back against these upstream mines. They’re using the state’s ambitious Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act to make sure those expanded ports don’t doom the state’s climate goals.

Future Outlook and Continued Concerns

Mandy DeRoche is a deputy managing attorney at the Clean Energy Program at Earthjustice. She fears that Bitcoin mines will keep spreading and said there’s an urgent need to get ahead of it. Deb Gondek, an Upstate New Yorker, lives across the street from a crypto mine. She’s experienced firsthand the hefty premium these operations make local residents pay for electricity, exacerbating the already extreme burden on her community.

"We can't expect protection from the federal government. We're going to protect ourselves" - Deb Gondek

"But in our hometowns and our counties, maybe in our states, we can change things" - Cyndie Roberson