North Carolina County Considers One-Year Bitcoin Mining Moratorium

Buncombe County in North Carolina is contemplating a 1-year moratorium on new and existing Bitcoin mining operations. This pause will allow the county’s Board of Commissioners time to develop clearer standards for land uses that may negatively impact the natural environment.

A public hearing on May 2, 2023, will be held to discuss and finalize the issue. During the moratorium, certification permits for cryptocurrency mining will be restricted. The county board also intends to classify crypto mining separately from data centers.

This decision comes after neighboring Cherokee County faced controversy over the noise levels associated with mining operations. Buncombe County Commissioner Terri Wells emphasized the importance of being proactive on this issue.

Other regions have implemented similar moratoriums, such as New York, which enacted a 2-year ban on new proof-of-work (PoW) Bitcoin mining operations in November 2022. The Chinese government also reiterated its ban on Bitcoin mining in 2021, labelling crypto-related businesses as “illegal financial activities.”

Following China’s crackdown, the U.S. has become a significant hub for mining operations, with American firms accounting for 37.8% of the entire network’s hash rate, according to the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index (CBECI).