Community members around Seneca Lake, the largest of the famous Finger Lakes in upstate New York, are protesting the operations of the recently converted Greenidge power plant. The facility is now a full-fledged bitcoin mining operation, which is known for its high energy absorption. Atlas Holdings owns the plant, which is operated by Greenidge Generation LLC.
Local residents say such operations have caused a rise in temperature in the neighboring lake.
A local resident commented that the lake is so hot at the moment that it feels like a hot tub when inside. Both the increase in the lake's temperature and the air quality are points of protest for the community's residents.
Despite community outrage, Jeff Kirt, the operations CEO, says the plant's environmental footprint "has never been better than now." The plant operates under federal and state licenses and will soon be carbon neutral. It plans to buy credits to offset the facility's carbon emissions.
While the situation could be worse if the plant ran on fossil fuels rather than natural gas, the electricity used by its 8.000 computers is a major concern.
Official thermal studies are planned for 2023, however, residents say the change is noticeable and worrisome.
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More Backlash for the Greenidge Bitcoin Mining Plant
The recent development with residents around the factory is not the first vocal reaction against the Greenidge factory.
As early as December 2020, regional backlash reports against the construction of additional buildings on the factory grounds surfaced. Local groups, including the Sierra Club and the Seneca Lake Guardian, have hired an attorney to take the case to the Supreme Court.
The activities created petitions in view of the increase in the lake's temperature.
While Greenidge representatives have talked about being the only bitcoin mining operation to generate power from its own plant, it's still not enough to quell local concerns.
Ongoing environmental concerns
The case of the Greenidge plant is not unique.
Worldwide, mining operations have been investigated for their impact on the environment. Governments in places like China and Iran have heavily banned mining operations to contain environmental damage. Earlier this year, big companies like Tesla even abandoned cryptocurrency as a payment option until greener solutions can be implemented.
As federal entities and large corporations take important steps against mining, the cryptographic community continues to search for solutions. The most recent bitcoin mining survey conducted by the Bitcoin Mining Council (BMC) found that mining companies make sustainability a priority.