Granbury Residents Sue
A few residents of Granbury, Texas, have filed an action against Marathon Digital. It is considered one of the largest firms based on Bitcoin mining in the United States. They have accused the company of producing extremely annoying noises at its local mining facility. In the lawsuit which was filed on 4th October in Hood County court, it has been mentioned that there have been enormous disturbances to more than two dozen residents; the sound created a disturbance in their health and well-being.
Health and Well-being Issues to Granbury Residents
The complaint says that, owing to mining site noise and resultant vibrations coming incessantly, the people of this community have fallen prey to headaches, fatigue, hearing loss, and even migraines and tinnitus. The previous health ailments, such as high blood pressure, have also aggravated. They further contend that the noise intrusion and resultant vibration can also be felt inside their homes, which is affecting their quality of life.
Energy Consumption and Property Value Concerns
The plaintiffs added that, aside from the health concerns, Marathon Digital mining operations have inflated local electricity bills and devalued land prices. Damages The complaint requests a noise mitigation solution or an outright shutdown of the facility.
Plaintiffs Seek Court Injunction
Represented by Earthjustice attorney Rodrigo Cantú, the residents ask for immediate relief from the court. “My clients want either to abate the noise or to shut down operations altogether”, Cantú said. At the time of going to press, Marathon Digital had not commented.
A Familiar Case for Bitcoin Miners
The lawsuit bears similarity to one filed in Hadsel, Norway in 2022, when citizens won a case to block a Bitcoin mining facility due to the noise. Residents in Granbury also wish the court will deliver a similar verdict.
Marathon Digital’s Local Operations
Marathon Digital came to be a lessee at the Granbury location this January 2023. The company has 250,000 active Bitcoin mining rigs spread across various locations. The facility in Granbury houses one of them, adding 4.3 ExaHashs per second (EH/s) in total hash rate to the pool. The number in this particular location is not known.
Noise Pollution: A Recurring Issue
This lawsuit comes after a recent acquittal of the site manager of Marathon Digital, David Fischer, on 12 noise violation charges. Cleared on all charges in July, the continuous noise remains insufferable for the local residents, who are now demanding a permanent solution.
