Inside the 'Nightmare' Health Crisis of a Texas Bitcoin Town

Any statewide legislation is sure to hit significant headwinds, because the very idea of regulation runs contrary to many Texans’ political beliefs. “As constitutional conservatives, they have taken our core values and used that against us,” says Demetra Conrad, a city council member in the nearby town of Glen Rose.

Who left the gate open at the leopard farm?

Seriously though, this is awful. And jack-all will be done about it.

Wow, I expected to read about people voting themselves out of healthcare so bitcoin mines can operate at 1% cheaper, instead I got data center induced Havana Syndrome.

edit: I love that throughout the article they keep referring to the police chief who's fighting the mining installation as a former oath keeper, the fuck-one-monkey principle at work.

- I wish people would finally start calling me the anti-crypto police chief.

- Whatever you say Monkeyfucker Joe.

Looks like this is a follow up to this article from February: https://time.com/6590155/bitcoin-mining-noise-texas/

Over the summer, the company agreed to construct a 24-foot sound barrier wall on one end of the property at the cost of $1 to $2 million. But while the wall reduced sound in some areas, it actually amplified it in others. “To be honest, the complaints have gotten louder for us since the mitigation efforts,” Constable John Shirley says.

Amazing. "We spent some money and made things worse, so I guess we're stuck."

Back in Granbury, the discomfort caused by the plant is causing some consternation for a region that largely prides itself on being pro-industry and anti-regulation. “I agree with people having the right to own a business if it’s not illegal or amoral,” says Granbury resident Wolf. “But when you’re harming a group of people, there needs to be some type of remedy.”

quoted in full without commentary.

As someone with regular migraines who’s also very sensitive to noise, this is crazy, and sound pollution is something most people don’t even take seriously.

the Granbury Bitcoin mine is emitting 70 or even 90 decibels on a nightly basis

90 decibels? Fucking end me.

Just let the free market sort it out, that's how it works right? Thoughts and prayers

They said they're going to replace the fans by the end of 2024. Are they allowed to operate in the meantime? They should absolutely be force to shut the mine down until they've fixed the issue.

You'd think that in a small town something would mysteriously happen to that mine op. Kind of a Ken McElroy situation. Surprising it hasn't yet.

As more machines were switched on, the noise sounded like a ceiling fan, then a leaf blower, then a jet engine. (...) The noise floated miles down the winding Brazos river, through the lush golf courses in the gated community Pecan Plantation and past county lines.

As rock music blares from the speakers and other patrons chatter away, Rosenkranz pulls out her phone and clocks 72 decibels on a sound meter app—the same level that she records in Indigo’s bedroom in the dead of night.

“Imagine if I had vuvuzela in your ear all the time,” he says.

Having to deal with 60 decibels when you want to sleep is already a fucking hassle. 70+ is straight up torture

The mr cop of the place being "a former member of the Oath Keepers, a far-right militia whose leaders were convicted of seditious conspiracy against the U.S. government" feels like he's finally being forced to deal with the shit he was defending

This is not what I expected, tbh. I was in here ready to make jokes about the health risks of bear attacks, but this is something else.

Holy shit.

There's no way they can afford security commensurate with the level of provocation they're subjecting the locals to.

We need to send nasty butters (the ones that are particularly cruel and/or malicious) to live in this bitcoin mining plant. No leaving the premises!

Couldn't find it, but are there any sound / video so we can hear what it's like?

Good read, absolutely fucked