Key Points
- Marathon Digital, a crypto mining company, faces a lawsuit from Granbury, Texas residents over noise pollution.
- The lawsuit details health issues, increased electricity costs, and reduced property values due to the mining operation.
Marathon Digital, a prominent player in the cryptocurrency mining industry, is facing legal action. The lawsuit has been initiated by inhabitants of Granbury, Texas, who argue that noise pollution from the company’s operations is detrimental to their health and disrupts their daily routines.
A group of community members from Granbury lodged a lawsuit against Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. in the Texas State Court, Hood County. They allege that the company’s Bitcoin mining operation is causing significant health problems and negatively impacting their quality of life.
Health and Financial Concerns
Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law firm representing the affected citizens, has revealed that at least two dozen locals have experienced serious health issues. These include permanent hearing loss, debilitating migraines, tinnitus, and severe vertigo.
The lawsuit also raises concerns about the rising cost of electricity in the community. Some residents have reported an increase of $100 to $200 per month in their utility bills. In addition to the financial burden, residents have seen a significant decrease in property values due to the constant noise and vibrations from the cryptocurrency mining operation.
Legal Action and Previous Complaints
The lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction to compel Marathon to cease producing or allowing unreasonable noise from its operations. It also requests any relief the court deems necessary to safeguard the community’s rights and well-being.
Rodrigo Cantú, a senior attorney at Earthjustice, stated that homes in the area have lost their tranquility due to Marathon’s excessive noise pollution. The legal action follows numerous noise complaints made by residents to local authorities, such as the Hood County Constable and Sheriff’s Office, from November 2023 to March 2024.
Despite attempts to reduce the noise, including the construction of a 24-foot sound barrier, residents claim that local regulations are ineffective. Noise violations result in nothing more than a $500 fine. Marathon has stated that it commissioned a third party to conduct a sound study and pledged to investigate further.
Texas: A Crypto Mining Hub
Cryptocurrency mining, infamous for its continuous noise from thousands of high-powered machines and cooling fans, has found a significant hub in Texas. After a ban on crypto mining in China in 2021, Texas quickly became a popular destination due to its low electricity rates and regulatory incentives.
By April 2023, Texas hosted five of the ten largest Bitcoin mining facilities in the U.S., including the massive Riot facility in Rockdale. However, the rapid growth of crypto mining has raised concerns about its impact on the state’s power grid, rising electricity costs for residents, and increasing reports of health issues.
The Granbury mining site, which started operations in 2022, has changed ownership several times. Compute North Holdings originally owned it, then it passed to U.S. Bitcoin Corp., later to Hut 8 Mining Corp., and finally to Marathon Digital Holdings, which took over in early 2024.