Originally published on: October 08, 2024
Over two dozen residents of Granbury, Texas, have come together to take legal action against Marathon Digital, citing the intolerable noise generated by the crypto mining site located near their town.
According to the lawsuit filed in a Hood County court on October 4, the noise emanating from Marathon’s local Bitcoin mining facility has been deemed a nuisance, causing extreme discomfort and annoyance to the nearby residents. Some individuals have reported sensory, emotional, psychological, and health impacts as a result of the constant and unrelenting noise and vibrations from the mining site.
Residents have detailed experiencing issues such as fatigue, headaches, memory problems, hearing loss, migraines, and tinnitus, with allegations that pre-existing health conditions have been exacerbated due to the noise pollution. The lawsuit further claims that even within the confines of their homes, residents can hear the noise and feel the vibrations stemming from the MARA Cryptomine, hindering their private use and enjoyment of their properties.
Moreover, the residents have raised concerns regarding the increased electricity bills stemming from the mining operation’s energy consumption, as well as the negative impact on their property values. Represented by Rodrigo Cantú from the environmental law firm Earthjustice, the residents are seeking immediate action from Marathon to address the noise pollution or, if necessary, shut down operations entirely.
Marathon Digital is yet to respond to the accusations put forth by the residents. In the lawsuit, the residents are requesting a permanent injunction against the crypto mining facility to prevent any further unreasonable noise disturbances. Additionally, they are seeking compensation and coverage of court costs.
The Granbury Bitcoin mine operated by Marathon Digital was initially constructed in April 2022 by Compute North Holdings, with Marathon assuming ownership in January. After a transfer of ownership, the mining site now houses 250,000 Bitcoin mining rigs, contributing to a hashrate of 4.3 ExaHashs per second (EH/s).
This legal dispute echoes a similar case in a Norwegian municipality where residents successfully shut down a local Bitcoin mine due to noise issues. However, the repercussions included an unexpected rise in electricity bills for residents following the closure of the mine.
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