Residents outraged as crypto mining facility terrorizes them around clock: 'Just terrible'

Residents of North Tonawanda, New York, say they can no longer enjoy the quiet of their own homes due to a cryptocurrency mining facility operating under the name DigiPower X, formerly DigiHost. According to local outlet WBEN, residents say noise from the factory has been relentless, and, after three years of complaints, they just want peace.

What's happening?

Representatives for DigiPower X appeared in court in mid-August to face four charges tied to violations of the city's noise ordinance. The issue centers on the bitcoin facility's low-frequency industrial noise, which has reportedly been disruptive as far as a mile from the operations.

"High noise levels negatively impact health," said resident and Climate Smart Communities Task Force member Deb Gondek, per WBEN. "North Tonawanda residents ... have been suffering for more than three years."

Mayor Austin Tylec has pushed for ordinance updates that include stricter decibel readings and more enforceable penalties. "The penalties really just don't compare to the dollar," Tylec said, explaining that outdated fines haven't kept up with the scale of industrial activity and earning potential.

Police chief Keith Glass confirmed that during a period of observation, the factory violated local noise rules nightly. "I specifically looked at the sound after 10 p.m., and it was an easy violation every single night," Glass said.

Why is this concerning?

Residents of North Tonawanda and elsewhere are raising more than just noise complaints against crypto mining facilities. They're worried about long-term health effects and broader quality-of-life impacts. 

Local Kevin O'Connor said the noise from the plant makes sleeping impossible. 

"In my plant-facing bedroom windows, the window-penetrating noise is just terrible," he said, per WBEN. "On my backyard deck, noise bouncing off the homes behind me is also irritating, taking away the peacefulness of my own home."

O'Connor lived in his home before the crypto facility moved in. His account suggests the noise level has risen considerably since. 

But the noise is just one side of a much louder debate. Some point to crypto mining's staggering energy use, powered in part by fossil fuels. That energy demand can contribute to the overheating of the planet and put stress on renewable energy sources as well as the larger local power grid.

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What's being done?

City officials appear to want to rework the outdated ordinance to increase fines and include clearer limits on low-frequency noise in particular. They're also working to enforce violations more consistently and in a way courts will uphold.

Meanwhile, crypto's potential impacts on the power grid go far beyond North Tonawanda. 

In Tehran, residents linked rolling blackouts to unregulated crypto mining operations. Russia enacted regional bans after crypto energy demand caused outages during heat waves. Norway has even proposed a temporary block on certain mining centers over concerns that they add little value to communities while draining energy.

Still, there's potential for change in the industry. Cloud mining, for example, may shift crypto toward more sustainable models by relying on cleaner energy sources. And while crypto mining is inherently energy-intensive, some operations are exploring cleaner, more sustainable ways to meet that energy demand using sources like wind power. 

A recent report from the International Monetary Fund has also suggested that changes in tax policy could help curb pollution tied to both crypto and artificial intelligence.

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