Rural Texans Rage Against Bitcoin Mining: Noise Pollution Sparks Regulation Battle
Texas' quiet countryside is roaring—with the sound of mining rigs. Locals say Bitcoin's industrial hum is drowning out their peace, and they're fighting back.
When crypto comes to town, who pays the price?
Subheader: The Backlash Goes Viral
Farmers and ranchers—not your usual anti-crypto crowd—are leading the charge. Their weapon? Zoning laws. Their target? Data centers chewing through cheap Texan power to mint digital gold.
Subheader: The Irony Isn't Lost on Anyone
Texas wooed miners with deregulated energy and open space. Now those same miners might get regulated out of existence—by the very communities that benefited from their tax dollars. Classic case of 'not in my backyard,' even when the backyard is 50 acres of prairie.
Subheader: The Finance Jab You Expected
Meanwhile, Wall Street still thinks Bitcoin's 'digital scarcity' narrative holds water—never mind that it takes real-world abundance (energy, land, patience) to create it.
Closer: This isn't just about decibels. It's a stress test for crypto's promise to 'bank the unbanked' without bulldozing the already-banked.
Petition dispute
A petition drive to incorporate Mitchell Bend as a town, which WOULD allow local ordinances to regulate the mine, was dismissed last week by County Judge Ron Massingill.
He said the petition did not meet the state requirement of 50 registered voters. Residents subsequently submitted a second petition before the Aug. 18 deadline in hopes of securing a spot on the November ballot.
Shannon Wolf, a precinct chair with the local Republican Party, criticized what she described as a lack of notice from county officials about the rejection of the first petition and the deadline for resubmission.
If the second attempt fails, residents say they are prepared to pursue their case legally, potentially to the state’s highest court.
Legal action
Alongside the incorporation push, some residents have joined other lawsuits targeting Marathon for its operations in the state.
Climate advocacy group Earthjustice has filed an injunction over alleged health and environmental harms, while local residents have retained a personal injury attorney to represent claims of medical issues and lost property value.
Cheryl Shadden, a nearby resident who has been outspoken against the mine, said her group weighed its options and concluded only lawsuits or incorporation could give them real leverage.
Officials with Massingill’s office and Marathon Digital did not respond to requests for comment.
If successful, incorporation would allow Mitchell Bend to adopt its own rules governing industrial projects. For residents, it marks the latest effort in a broader battle across Texas communities where crypto mining has moved in next to homes and farmland.
