Texas Residents Sue Over Bitcoin Mining Noise Health Risks
Residents of Granbury, Texas, living less than a mile from MARA Holdings’ 300 MW Bitcoin mining facility have sued the company over continuous low-frequency noise. The lawsuit, filed in October 2024, claims that 24/7 Bitcoin mining noise has caused persistent headaches, hospitalizations and worsened existing health conditions — with some residents describing life near the site as “hellish.” MARA acquired the facility from bankrupt Compute North in January 2024. The company recently announced plans to issue up to $1 billion in convertible notes, partly to buy BTC, and holds roughly 50,000 BTC valued at about $6 billion. Environmental lawyers warn that sustained noise pollution from large-scale mining sites poses novel health and regulatory challenges. The case highlights growing local backlash against crypto operations, even as US lawmakers advance digital-asset legislation and political figures publicly embrace mining.
Bearish
This health-related lawsuit against MARA Holdings over continuous Bitcoin mining noise is likely bearish for the crypto market, especially mining stocks. Negative local backlash and regulatory scrutiny can raise operational costs and deter new facilities. Traders may sell mining equities and related tokens on concerns about increased noise pollution regulations, permitting delays, and potential fines. In the short term, share prices of mining firms could dip as investors reassess legal risks. Over the long term, stricter environmental standards may limit mining capacity growth, reducing sell-side pressure on BTC but also capping network expansion and energy demand forecasts. Similar localized protests against energy-intensive data centers in past years led to stricter zoning laws and project cancellations, weighing on sector sentiment.