After a public hearing, Buncombe County voted to approve a moratorium on bitcoin mining to develop standards and zoning regulations for special land use.
As first reported in Bitcoin Magazine on April 6, Buncombe County, North Carolina has proposed a one-year moratorium on bitcoin mining and held a public hearing on May 2.
The text of the proposal stated that the moratoriumif approved, would go into effect the same day as the hearing, so it was apparent that the county commission was simply following procedure when taking public comment.
Unlike other moratoria in the state where no objections were expressed, Bitcoiners across the region have spoken out in opposition. Four speakers raised various concerns about the one-year ban on commercial bitcoin mining.
Comments in support of Bitcoin ranged from safeguarding financial freedom, to strengthening the network through demand response programs, to investing and using sustainable energy, to protecting First Amendment rights. , encouraging innovation, etc.
There were three people present who expressed their approval of the ban, citing concerns about noise and a desire to conserve energy use in order to meet Governor Roy Cooper’s climate goals.
The moratorium is adopted unanimously.
From the Buncombe County website:
“The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners is moving forward with a moratorium on cryptocurrency mining. Commissioners approved the one-year ban after holding a public hearing at their May 2 meeting. Current county ordinances do not define cryptocurrency mining as a specific use. Cryptocurrency mining operations can negatively impact surrounding neighborhoods due to excessive energy consumption, electronic waste, pollution, and noise. The temporary pause will help protect the public interest until regulations regarding cryptocurrency mining are passed. The one-year ban is effective immediately until May 1, 2024.”
