Texas Community's Bid to Form Municipality to Regulate Bitcoin Mining Noise Fails

According to Cointelegraph, residents of a small area in Hood County, Texas, have been unsuccessful in their attempt to establish a new municipality aimed at regulating noise from a nearby Bitcoin mining facility. The proposal to create "Mitchell Bend," a tiny municipality covering a two-square-mile community of approximately 600 people, was supported by only 38% of the 138 voters. For nearly three years, locals have voiced concerns over the noise generated by MARA's 60,000 Bitcoin miners, which they claim disrupts the community and contributes to Bitcoin's $2 trillion network. The noise has reportedly led to sleepless nights, headaches, and hearing issues among residents, with some choosing to leave the area. In response, MARA has attempted to mitigate the noise by expanding a 24-foot wall and converting two-thirds of its cooling fans to a liquid cooling system. Despite these efforts, residents argue that the noise remains a significant issue, prompting the consideration of incorporating Mitchell Bend. This proposed municipality would represent a small fraction of Hood County's nearly 70,000 residents. MARA initially sought to prevent the vote by filing a lawsuit in late October, arguing that the incorporation of Mitchell Bend could harm its operations and potentially lead to increased taxes. Although the request to block the vote was denied, a MARA spokesperson expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating, "We’re pleased that Hood County voters saw through the sham incorporation effort and rejected it at the ballot box." Despite the setback, local resident Danny Lakey emphasized that the fight is not over. "Although we took a loss here, we are going to move forward and we will continue to do what we can to not let industry take over Hood County," he stated. Residents have previously taken legal action against MARA and its site manager, David Fischer, over noise-related violations, but these efforts have not been successful. Meanwhile, in Arkansas, the planning commission of Vilonia unanimously rejected a proposal to establish a crypto mining facility following strong opposition from residents in April.