Bit Coin Mining on agenda for Ways and Means Committee June 27 meeting

TOP PHOTO: Concerned citizens from White Oak once again attended the County Commission meeting on Tuesday evening regarding the Bit Coin Mining operation that is trying to set up in their community. The issue will be discussed at the Ways and Means Committee meeting next Tuesday evening at 5:30 in the lower court room.

By Charlotte Underwood 

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – Bit Coin Mining and how to regulate it will be on the agenda for a Ways and Means Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 27, at 5:30pm, in the lower courtroom at the Campbell County Courthouse. The meeting was set during Tuesday’s County Commission meeting. 

Concerned citizens from the White Oak community were once again in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting. HERE is a related story from last week’s meeting.

Bit coin is a digital currency. The “mining” of bit coin uses vast amounts of power and electricity, often straining power grids and according to national studies, it has a “negative impact on the environment, emitting millions of tons of Co2, as well as large amounts of electronic waste.”

At last week’s monthly workshop, county commissioners heard from multiple citizens regarding the crypto currency mining operation that is trying to be established in White Oak. At that workshop, citizens asked the commission to consider approval of a resolution that would regulate companies putting in crypto currency mining, making them go before the commission for approval before going into unincorporated areas. The resolution was given to County Attorney Joe Coker, who then submitted it to the County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) for advice.  Commissioner Tyler King requested the Ways and Means Committee meeting to discuss the resolution, which has been revised slightly at the suggestion of CTAS. The newly revised resolution will be looked at by the county attorney prior to Tuesday’s meeting, according to King, who also requested Coker be present at the June 27th meeting.

“The only change is the original resolution submitted by citizens had it that it would be required for bit coin mining operations to have a business license; CTAS said we couldn’t require that, so we had that part taken out,” King said.

If the resolution is approved at Tuesday’s Ways and Means Committee meeting, it will then go before the commission for approval at the recessed commission meeting, which resumes at 6pm on June 29.

“We’re hoping to stop bit coin mining from coming to the county, especially for the smaller communities. These operations use a lot of electricity which would rob the power from these communities, and bit coin mining is overall bad for the environment,” King said. 

According to King, the hope is that the resolution will prevent the current operation from moving into the White Oak community.

“We’re working with the county attorney and with CTAS to see what we can do,” King said. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 06/21/2023-6AM)