Residents of Granbury have had enough of living next to a Marathon Bitcoin mining facility, where the noise is described as resembling a busy highway. Local residents say the escalating decibels from the mining operation are causing health issues. With Wall Street ETFs driving demand for Bitcoin, noise pollution from miners may become a major challenge for the industry.
Cheryl Shadden knew there would be a problem when she invited her family from Washington state to visit her home in Texas. The noise generated by the Bitcoin mining operation located a quarter mile from her property is described as being like being inside a wind tunnel, and it never stops. This noise has been angering the people of Granbury for over a year now.
Now, Shadden and her neighbors are increasingly concerned that this uproar is causing a range of health issues. Neighbor Geraldine Lathers mentioned headaches and worsened dizziness. Residents are surprised to see rabbits, birds, and other wildlife fleeing the area to escape the noise.
Marathon, as a publicly traded Bitcoin mining company valued at $6 billion, took over the facility in January. The company is urgently seeking to address this problem. Some residents are experiencing discomfort and the company recognizes the importance of resolving this issue.
Bitcoin mining has long been criticized by environmentalists for its heavy use of electricity generated by fossil fuels. Now, the industry is facing increasing pressure to address another serious issue – noise pollution. Residents in North Carolina, Colorado, Ohio, Tennessee, as well as in Canada and Norway, have complained about noise from Bitcoin mining facilities. In Texas, this issue is escalating into a major headache for the industry.
Residents are turning to unusual methods to cope with the noise, such as white noise machines that produce sounds like flowing water or blowing wind to mask the noise. Some are resorting to medication to deal with the effects of the noise.
Marathon is evaluating various methods to reduce the noise from the facility, including reconfiguring containers housing mining equipment or possibly relocating some equipment. The company is even considering adopting immersion technology, which would involve submerging mining equipment in insulating oil to prevent overheating. Residents are hoping for a resolution to restore their quality of life.