Rural Hood County residents are seeking community votes to gain more authority over a Bitcoin mining site that says 24-hour industrial noise has disrupted their lives, local media outlet KeraNews reported on August 18.
The mine, run by Florida-based Marathon Digital Holdings, has been operating for about three years near the unedited area of Mitchell Bend.
Neighbors argue that the constant humming of the surgery has led to disruption in sleep, hearing loss and lower property values. Some say they now suffer from tinnitus and permanent hearing loss.
Petition dispute
The willingness to incorporate Mitchell Bend as a town that allows local ordinances to regulate the mines was dismissed last week by County Judge Ron McSil.
He said the petition did not meet the state’s requirements for 50 registered voters. He then filed a second petition before the August 18 deadline, hoping to secure the spot in the November 18th vote.
Shannon Wolf, a local Republican precinct, criticized the denying the initial petition and describing the lack of notification from county officials about the deadline for resubmitting.
If the second attempt fails, residents say they are potentially ready to legally pursue a lawsuit with the state’s Supreme Court.
Legal measures
In addition to promoting its establishment, some residents have participated in other lawsuits targeting marathons for operations in the state.
Climate advocacy group Earthjustice has filed an injunction against alleged health and environmental harm, but local residents retain personal injury attorneys to represent medical issues and allegations of reduced property values.
Cheryl Shadden, a nearby resident who spoke openly to the mine, said her group weighed the option and concluded that only a lawsuit or establishment could give them real leverage.
Officials at Massingill’s Office and Marathon Digital did not respond to requests for comment.
If successful, by establishing it, Mitchell Bend can adopt its own rules for managing industrial projects. For residents, it marks the latest efforts in the broader battle across the Texas community, where crypto mining has moved next to homes and farmland.
