Residents of a Texas Town Complain about Bitcoin Mining Causing Health Issues and Unhappiness
In the heart of Texas, the small town of Granbury is facing an unusual predicament. Residents are grappling with health issues they attribute to the constant low-frequency noise pollution generated by MARA Holdings' Bitcoin mining facility [1][2][4].
The noise, described as incessant and unlike typical industrial or traffic sounds, has been causing chronic headaches, stress, vertigo, trouble sleeping, and emotional distress among the locals [1][4]. One elderly resident stated, "It never goes away, headaches never go away" [1][4], highlighting the unrelenting nature of the disturbance.
The health issues are severe enough that some residents have been hospitalized, and there are reports of adverse effects on livestock, including anxiety in horses and the death of at least one horse potentially linked to the noise exposure [1][2][4].
A lawsuit filed by a group of Granbury residents in October 2024 alleges that the persistent noise from MARA Holdings' Bitcoin mining facility has caused health issues and violates zoning laws, constituting a public nuisance that diminishes quality of life and property values [1][2][5].
Environmental attorney Mandy DeRoche characterizes the noise as "a special noise... incessant," specifically low-frequency noise, which is particularly disturbing and detrimental to health [1][4]. Despite legal challenges, including a 2024 jury acquittal of the site manager on noise violations, community complaints persist, underscoring ongoing health and environmental tensions around this Bitcoin mining operation [2].
Residents like Nick Browning, an elderly resident, have reported constant headaches and hospital visits due to the noise. Prolonged exposure to industrial noise, such as that generated by Bitcoin mining facilities, can lead to sleep disturbances, heightened stress levels, and an increased risk of cardiovascular problems [3].
It's important to note that not all residents in Granbury, a predominantly Republican town that saw a substantial number of its residents vote for President Trump in the recent election, blame the Bitcoin industry as a whole. Instead, they hold the individual companies responsible for the noise pollution [4]. MARA Holdings, one of the largest cryptocurrency mining firms in the U.S., operates the Bitcoin mining facility in Granbury [2].
A new video from the nonprofit More Perfect Union highlights ongoing complaints from residents in Granbury, Texas, about the Bitcoin mining facility's noise pollution [4]. Virginia Browning, another resident, has reported suffering from vertigo and concerns about her cognitive health due to the noise pollution [1].
As the health concerns continue to mount, the town of Granbury is left grappling with the implications of Bitcoin mining's impact on its community, a stark reminder of the need for responsible and considerate practices in the industry.
References: [1] More Perfect Union. (2024). Bitcoin mining is ruining Granbury, Texas. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR2UqZB4-_o [2] KXAN. (2024). Bitcoin mining facility in Granbury, Texas, faces ongoing health concerns. KXAN. https://www.kxan.com/news/local/central-texas/bitcoin-mining-facility-in-granbury-texas-faces-ongoing-health-concerns/ [3] World Health Organization. (2021). Environmental noise and cardiovascular disease: An update of the evidence for the global burden of disease. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240016774 [4] CNN. (2024). Residents of Granbury, Texas, raise health concerns over Bitcoin mining facility. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/15/us/granbury-texas-bitcoin-mining-health-issues/index.html [5] Dallas Morning News. (2024). Lawsuit filed against MARA Holdings' Bitcoin mining facility in Granbury, Texas. Dallas Morning News. https://www.dallasnews.com/business/2024/10/15/lawsuit-filed-against-mara-holdings-bitcoin-mining-facility-in-granbury-texas/
- The health-and-wellness of residents in Granbury, Texas, has been negatively impacted by the low-frequency noise pollution generated by MARA Holdings' Bitcoin mining facility, as evidenced by reports of chronic headaches, stress, vertigo, sleep disorders, and mental distress.
- Scientific research, such as the World Health Organization's study on environmental noise and cardiovascular disease, suggests that prolonged exposure to industrial noise, like that produced by Bitcoin mining facilities, can lead to increased stress levels, sleep disturbances, and an increased risk of cardiovascular problems.
- As the issue of noise pollution from cryptocurrency mining facilities like MARA Holdings' operation in Granbury continues to generate controversy in environmental-science and health-and-wellness circles, the need for responsible and considerate practices within the industry becomes paramount, backed by the ongoing complaints from residents and the growing evidence of health impacts.
