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- 1 Constant drone from crypto mining is becoming a progressive issue in Arkansas.
- 2 The state has seen an increase in crypto miners since the introduction of Act 851.
Arkansas is witnessing a flock of crypto mining companies making their way in the state. However, the citizens are not happy about that. Arkansas Senator from District 28, Bryan King, is taking the matter to the governor according to NBC affiliate KATV. However, his attempt appears to have been overlooked by the governor’s office.
Governor’s Office Protecting Chinese Interests?
KATV reported the office denied Senator Bryan’s request in view of the exemption of records solicited from Arkansas’ Freedom of Information Act. His concern awakened following Chinese government-associated crypto miners’ attempt to develop crypto mining facilities in Harrison Arkansas. As the situation matures, crypto miners continue to buy land to set up their shops.
King raised questions in the office to neglect the issues. He said, “Whether it’s the governor’s office and these legislators up here, why are they protecting Chinese interests out there that are putting assets like this right next to our substations?” China banned crypto mining in 2021 over environmental concerns.
Recently, people called out about the situation. They expressed concerns about the negative impact of crypto mining in the state. According to the community, “This affects every single Arkansan in the state of Arkansas. We will no longer be the Natural State; we will be the Bitcoin State.”
Crypto Mining Could Become Burden on Natural States
Besides, the humming noise or drone from crypto mining devices is becoming a growing factor in keeping the miners at bay. A community in DeWitt County successfully prevented a company from entering the area. The city council decided to put a halt on the development citing the mentioned concern.
A citizen from Vilonia complained about the constant drone troubling the health of her autistic son. The company generating noise was supposed to develop sound walls to prevent such issues but never did. Denizens from the Finger Lakes region also raised their voices against a crypto mining facility in June after it continued operating despite the government’s denial of air permit renewal.
Arkansas Act 851 was passed earlier this year. Authorities introduced the law to “recognize that data centers create jobs, pay taxes, and 8 provide general economic value to local communities and this state.” Miners’ arrival on Arkansas land can be attributed to the document.
The United States is currently the biggest hashrate producer globally. Crypto miners’ entry into environmentally-friendly regions could harm the local resources. Moreover, heavy equipment required to mine Proof-of-Work cryptocurrencies in Bitcoin (BTC) could deliver strain on power grids.
Riot Platforms, a leading crypto miner, is likely to bring the world’s biggest crypto mine to Texas. A few activists joined forces to address the deterioration it could bring to the region. Five out of ten biggest miners operate from the US, consuming over 1 GW of energy annually. Texas remains the favorite spot for miners to set up their shops.
Anurag is working as a fundamental writer for The Coin Republic since 2021. He likes to exercise his curious muscles and research deep into a topic. Though he covers various aspects of the crypto industry, he is quite passionate about the Web3, NFTs, Gaming, and Metaverse, and envisions them as the future of the (digital) economy. A reader & writer at heart, he calls himself an “average guitar player” and a fun footballer.
