A city-by-city, state-by-state movement against the voracious energy demands of cryptocurrency mining is growing — and gaining some victories. Frustrated by the lack of federal regulation, activists are targeting local laws and rules to rein in a practice they say is threatening the U.S. power grid and slowing the adoption of low-carbon energy, Niina H. Farah writes. Mining cryptocurrency requires an immense amount of energy. Computers “mine” bitcoin and some other types of digital currency by solving complex puzzles around the clock. The more computers that are running, the better the odds of turning a profit. Crypto miners argue they can consume power responsibly while improving the nation’s power system — a tall order for an industry that uses more energy per year than Australia. Though concerns about crypto’s energy demands are far from new, they have taken on new urgency in the U.S., which became a safe haven for crypto mining after China banned the practice in 2020. In the ensuing two years, the U.S. went from being home to 3.5 percent of the global mining of bitcoin to 38 percent. When mining is done in regions where coal and natural gas still provide most electricity, the result could be more planet-warming pollution. Taking action: Across the country, anti-crypto-mining advocates are targeting local and state officials to regulate or ban the practice. New York issued a moratorium on new crypto mines while state officials evaluate their environmental effects. But that didn’t apply to an existing mining facility built on an old coal plant in the Finger Lakes region. So activists invoked the state’s climate law to argue that the facility — a combination bitcoin mining and natural gas plant — conflicts with the law’s emission reduction targets. The state agreed, denying the facility’s request to renew its permit. The company is appealing the decision while pledging to go carbon free. In Washington state, the House and Senate approved a bill that would require operations like crypto mines to meet the state’s ambitious clean electricity purchasing requirements. The measure is awaiting Gov. Jay Inslee’s (D) signature. Other states are moving in the opposite direction. Missouri and Mississippi are both working to pass "right to mine" bills, which encourage development of the sector. Texas has also welcomed the industry. Some members of Congress are pushing for federal action. Sen. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, reintroduced legislation this year that could lay the groundwork for creating national efficiency standards for crypto mining.
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