A township in the eastern Upper Peninsula recently passed a temporary moratorium on cryptocurrency mining operations.
The decision comes as a direct response to concerns from residents in the region who say a bitcoin mining farm is too loud and disrupting kids from learning at Lake Superior Academy in neighboring Dafter Township.
The academy is now embroiled in multiple lawsuits with a company that's been running a bitcoin mine across the street from the school. Lake Superior sued to turn down the noise coming from the super computers.
Local leaders in Clark Township, about 30 miles south of Dafter, say they want to try and avoid a situation like this. Mark Clymer, the Clark Township supervisor, told WCMU the moratorium draws a line in the sand.
"Be on notice that this is something we're looking to restrict and if you intend to do something like that you're going to have to wait 12 months or less," Clymer said.
People in Clark Township have also voiced concerns about the potential noise from a bitcoin mine disturbing their way of life.
"And not having intrusions into that quiet life that can adversely effect how money circulates through the economy, the availability of electricity," Clymer said.
Clymer said members of his township board and their attorney are working on a more permanent ordinance to limit any future bitcoin mines and is hopeful a more permanent solution can be passed by next year.
