NTX residents are tired of Bitcoin company noise
Residents of the Granbury suburb say their quiet, quiet community has been disrupted by noise from a nearby Bitcoin mining facility. Last fall, they started noticing a constant loud hum.
Granbury, Texas – Residents of the Granbury suburb say their quiet, quiet community has been disrupted by noise from a nearby Bitcoin mining facility. Last fall, they started noticing a constant loud hum.
This is where Daniel Lakey, 55, and his wife plan to retire.
“When we look out here, we just watch the sun go down and just enjoy being outside,” Lakey said.
Their eight-acre property is located in rural Hood County, about 10 miles east of the city of Granbury. Cows and open land are also part of the attraction. But noisy neighbors nearby have ruined their peaceful dreams.
“At 10 p.m., I'm sitting next to the truck, I'm actually touching the truck, and I hear all the Bitcoin noise. That's all I hear,” Lakey said.
Lakey has more than a dozen recordings saved on her phone over the past year. Some came from across the street from a Bitcoin mine operated by Marathon Digital Holdings. Other recordings are made from his home about 400 meters away.
“My truck is running, but I can't even hear it running over the sound of Bitcoin until I get down here in front of the engine,” he said.
Lakey is one of several plaintiffs who filed a lawsuit against Marathon Digital last week. Affected residents held a virtual press conference Wednesday along with their legal team.
“In particular, the Marathon's cooling system consists of large industrial fans, which contribute to the noise issues at the heart of this lawsuit,” said Rebecca Ramirez, an associate attorney in the Earthjustice Bay Area Office. said.
Neighbors claim the noise causes a variety of physical and psychological health problems. Some noise recordings are close to 85 decibels.
“During the day I felt disoriented, like I had motion sickness. I couldn't sleep at night,” said Cheryl Shaden, another plaintiff in the case. “The noise here at night is so bad you can hear it through the walls and windows.”
Shadden's wealth backs up the facility. The sign on her property gives you a good idea of how she feels about Bitcoin mining.
Texas law does not allow counties to regulate noise pollution, and neither can the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
A spokesperson for Marathon Digital said the company categorically rejected the plaintiffs' claims.
A statement to FOX 4 News reads in part:
“Our data center, which we acquired less than a year ago, is located in an established industrial zone, and acoustic measurements around the facility are below legal limits.”
It added: “There is no established link, medical or otherwise, between our operations and the broader factors alleged. We are committed to being good neighbors. I'm trying my best,'' he added.
Marathon says it has taken and will continue to take steps to reduce noise, including the ongoing construction of a large noise barrier. The walls are made of sound-absorbing material.
The company also said it has shut down dozens of air-cooled containers and plans to convert 50 percent of its sites to liquid cooling, which is said to be quieter, by the end of the year.
“They think it's okay for us to live next door, but that's not really the case,” Lackey said. When I asked him what the solution was, he replied, “Turn it off!”
The plaintiffs are seeking a permanent injunction from the court. In other words, the plaintiffs are asking a judge to order the cryptocurrency mining operation to cease producing noise and vibration conditions that the plaintiffs claim are unreasonable and nuisance.
No hearing has been scheduled.
