Buncombe County in North Carolina is considering a one-year moratorium on new and existing ones Bitcoin mining operations in the area.
The hiatus would give the county’s board of commissioners time to “develop standards and mitigation methods for intensive land uses that can harm the natural environment,” according to a county document first reported by local news outlet News 13 WSOL .
The board will discuss and conclude the issue in a public hearing on May 2, 2023.
Crypto mining refers to the process of verifying and validating transactions on a Proof-of-Work (PoW) blockchain. Bitcoin is the largest PoW blockchain, with ether just switched to a Proof of Stake (PoS) blockchain last September.
The Buncombe County Board plans to classify cryptocurrency mining separately from data centers.
Until then, the moratorium will restrict zone certification permits for cryptocurrency mining.
Previous reports have suggested Buncombe is taking a closer look at crypto mining in the county after activity in neighboring Cherokee County sparked controversy, particularly over how noisy those operations can be.
In response, Buncombe County Commissioner Terri Wells said at the time that “it’s just something I’d rather look at proactively.”
Bitcoin mining around the world
In November 2022, the governor of New York ratified a similar two-year moratorium on new proof-of-work (PoW) bitcoin mining operations.
The bill, endorsed by New York Assembly Member Anna R. Kelles, will “suspend for two years the issuance of proof-of-work permits for cryptocurrency mining operations powered by power generation facilities that use a carbon-based fuel “.
China’s government reiterated its 2021 ban on Bitcoin mining operations, calling crypto-related companies “illegal financial activities.”
Since then, the US has become the top center for miners, with American firms now accounting for 37.8% of the hash rate of the entire network, according to the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index (CBECI).
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