Living Next To A Crypto Mine: Why One North Carolina County Has Had Enough

Crypto mines in one North Carolina county have prompted residents to petition against the disturbances.

The Daily Beast on Monday reported on how ANKR Mining Solutions Inc. has one crypto mine set up and another mine in construction in Cherokee County, North Carolina, a small community of 28,000 residents tucked inside the Blue Ridge Mountains.

“Our rural and mountainous tranquility has been shattered by the 24/7 deafening noise and vibration of the fans needed to cool the computers/servers,” a Change.org petition reads that was created by a resident, Cyndie Roberson.

The crypto mine also uses major amounts of power consumption, which has caused the residents to have consistent power outages.

“We used to have bald eagles off our deck, and we haven’t seen them in months. So many deer have been hit on the road right out in front of it [the crypto mining facility]," Roberson told The Daily Beast.

The mining company moved its operation to Cherokee County in 2021 due to looser regulations in the area.

A major issue is that three out of the five members of the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners seem to be on board with the facilities and refuse to enforce any stricter zoning regulations.

The residents also claim that the mines are highly secretive and were set up without any warning or explanation.

“Even though they’re located right along a public road, they [security] have put up signs saying we can’t take photos or videos of the mine [even from across the road],” resident Phoebe Thompson told The Daily Beast.

Economists have noted that crypto mining can depress local economies, particularly in areas with fixed electricity supplies. They can also hinder new businesses from moving in.

Crpyto mining facilties have already caused major issues for other cities and are even banned in multiple countries like China. In March, an Appalachian town reported similar issues with a recently built mining facility, the Washington Post reported.