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LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — Crypto-mining has develop into a hot-button issue in Arkansas, much more so after a law was passed earlier this 12 months that limits local government’s ability to control crypto-mines within the state.
State Representative Matt Duffield, (R) District 53, announced Monday that he is asking on the governor to call a special session to repeal that law—Act 851, also often known as the “Right to Mine” bill.
“You’re not going to search out anybody that is more for limited government regulation than me, but this can be a totally different animal,” Duffield said. “These crypto-mining facilities have less regulation than my small business or very small businesses across the state, farmers…”
Two recent crypto-mines are organising shop within the district Duffield represents. One facility in Russellville city limits, already partially operational, has not generated the identical controversy as many others within the state.
According to Russellville City Planner Sara Johndahl, the crypto-mine, owned by a Fayetteville-based company called Block Ops, has complied with sound ordinances amongst other requirements.
“Act 851 really tied our hands…we’re just doing the very best we will with the hand we have been dealt, and I feel, thus far, this has really been a hit story for Russellville,” Johndahl said.
Ten minutes up the road within the small community of Moreland, one other company has purchased land for a crypto-mine next to Moreland First Baptist Church.
Neighboring property owners were notified of the acquisition and proposed facility in a letter from Little Rock law firm Wright Lindsey Jennings. According to Moreland First Baptist’s pastor, Rick Smith, the corporate behind the proposed crypto-mine is Moreland Holding LLC, or at the very least that is the shell company’s name.
“One of our concerns, in fact, as a church, is having services on Sunday and having to compete with that form of noise issue,” Smith said. “Another concern Smith’s congregation and other locals have are the huge amounts of electricity the crypto-mine may pull from their local power grid. Fears about potential threats to national security posed by Chinese-owned crypto-mines are also present, as they’re across the state and whole nation.
“Our governor signed an executive order recently that held some national security concerns about Chinese ownership of farmland in Arkansas. And I’d think that these facilities, having that very same form of connection, be at the very least something to have a look at,” Smith said.
Meanwhile, even starting to control crypto-mines in smaller, county communities like Moreland is far harder without planning commissions or municipal governments.
“They haven’t got anyone really regulating or watching out for the residents inside the county. And you’ve these facilities that may pop up with little or no oversight,” Johndahl said.
“I hope that the governor’s office reviews the letter that I respectfully sent to them and that they may see the various negative potential consequences these facilities could have—not only in our district here in Russellville, but statewide—may very well be quite a few,” Duffield said. “And I feel we’d like to step in and repeal that laws.”
Duffield said his decision to send a letter to the governor and request a special session was incited by a federal judge’s decision in November to strike down an amended noise ordinance geared toward a crypto-mine in Arkansas County.
Duffield shouldn’t be the primary Arkansas legislator to make a stand against Act 851. Sen. Bryan King, (R) District 28, requested the repeal of the brand new law, which an increasing variety of legislators say was too unexpectedly passed on the last day of 2023’s legislative session.
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