Residents near Granbury, Texas, are calling for an “unbearably noisy” cryptocurrency mine to be shut down, claiming the constant noise and vibrations are causing health hazards and saying, ” “Acoustic measurements are below legal limits,” the facility operator countered.
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Residents of Hood County in North Texas are suing a local Bitcoin mining facility, alleging “unbearably loud” noise and physical vibrations are causing mental and physical health problems. I woke you up.
The complaint states that construction of the crypto mine in Granbury, Texas, operated by Marathon Digital Holdings, began in 2022 and that Marathon assumed the lease in January 2024.
According to the lawsuit, the industrial cooling fans generate near-constant noise, which the residents are “suffering day in and day out,” and are seeking a permanent injunction.
They are represented by the environmental law nonprofit Earthjustice.
One of the affected residents, Cheryl Shaden, has trouble sleeping and experiences hearing loss, dizziness and ringing in her ears, according to the complaint.
Shaden’s dogs and horses also showed signs of stress, and the value of his home plummeted, causing his electricity bill to rise, the lawsuit alleges.
“They think it’s OK for us to live next door, but it’s not,” Hood County resident Daniel Lakey, another plaintiff, told FOX 4.
His solution? “Please turn off the power.”
Resident Liana Oschul told NBC 5 that the facility has a right to exist, but she wants them to be more responsible. She likened the noise to “sounding like someone trying to talk on top of a huge tractor,” adding: “It’s shaking a lot.”
A MARA spokesperson “categorically” denied the allegations in a statement to Business Insider.
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“The data center, which we acquired less than a year ago, is located in an established industrial area, and acoustic measurements around the facility are below legal limits,” the spokesperson said.
“Furthermore, there is no established link, medical or otherwise, between our business and the wide range of diseases that are alleged,” the company said. “We will defend ourselves against the false allegations made by.”
The factory’s website says Marathon is working on expanding its soundproof walls and moving to a quieter cooling process that involves submerging servers in a special fluid.
Business Insider previously reported that the United States is now the largest home for crypto mining after the industry was banned in China in 2021.
Currently, 52 U.S. operations use about 2% of the country’s energy, and facilities from North Carolina to Ohio to Arkansas have sparked backlash from disgruntled neighbors and are fighting backlash. BI previously wrote that a powerful Bitcoin lobby is emerging to
