On October 4, 2023, over two dozen residents of Granbury, Texas, filed a lawsuit against cryptocurrency mining company Marathon Digital Holdings.
The legal action, initiated in a Hood County Court, centers around Marathon’s local Bitcoin mining facility, which the plaintiffs claim is generating “intolerably loud” noise.Â
The lawsuit characterizes the noise from the mining operation as a “nuisance” that is causing “extreme discomfort and annoyance” to those living in proximity to the mine. The plaintiffs assert that the disturbance is not merely an inconvenience but has resulted in tangible “sensory, emotional, psychological, and health impacts” due to the “constant, unrelenting” nature of the noise and vibrations emanating from Marathon’s site.
Health and Quality of Life Impacts
The lawsuit details a wide array of negative health effects that residents attribute to the mining operation’s noise pollution. Specifically, some locals report experiencing fatigue, headaches, memory issues, hearing loss, migraines, and tinnitus.
The legal filing goes further to allege that pre-existing health conditions, particularly high blood pressure, have worsened for some residents as a direct result of the ongoing disturbance.Â
The impact on daily life is significant, with the suit stating, “Even in their own homes, [residents] can hear the MARA Cryptomine’s noise and feel its vibrations.” This constant exposure, according to the plaintiffs, “substantially interferes with Plaintiff Members’ private use and enjoyment of their properties.” The lawsuit includes personal testimonies, with one plaintiff explaining in detail how the mine has affected him, underlining the personal nature of the grievances.
Economic Concerns and Legal Demands
Beyond the immediate health and lifestyle impacts, the lawsuit raises serious economic concerns for the affected residents. The plaintiffs allege that the mining operation’s substantial energy consumption has led to “increases in their electricity bills.” Moreover, they claim to have experienced “decreases in their property values” due to the presence of the noisy facility.
In response to these issues, the residents are seeking several forms of relief through the court. What they are seeking primarily is a permanent injunction to keep Marathon’s facility from ‘creating, causing or allowing unreasonable noise.’ The plaintiffs are also seeking any compensation that is ‘justly entitled’ to make good on the damages they have suffered.
Aside from this, they are also asking for reimbursement of court costs used in the bringing of this action. The residents want Marathon to either reduce its noise pollution immediately or to shut down operations altogether, said Rodrigo Cantú, a senior Earthjustice attorney at the nonprofit environmental law firm on behalf of the residents in a statement issued October 7.
Lawsuit Background and Industry Context
The Granbury Bitcoin mine that officials are investigating was far from straightforward. It was built by Compute North Holdings and has been strategically located next to a gas fired power plant called Wolf Hollow II.
Rival miner Hut 8 Corp had operated the site until April 30, 2023, when it was taken over by Marathon Digital, which acquired the lease in January 2023.Â
When asked how long they say the noise from the mine has been a problem, several of the residents involved in the lawsuit say the problem started sometime in the spring of 2023, implying the problem has been amplified recently under current management. Marathon Digital’s operation is huge; according to their July earnings report, the company owns 250,000 Bitcoin mining rigs across all its facilities.
The amount of rigs at the Granbury site is not released but the mine has a very high hashrate of 4.3 ExaHashes per second (EH/s). There is no lack of past precedent in the crypto mining industry in this case. Similar stories came to pass in 2022, when Hadsel, a Norwegian municipality, witnessed residents successfully push to shut down their local Bitcoin mine over noise, and others.
However, the Norwegian case also highlighted potential economic trade-offs, as residents subsequently faced increased electricity bills due to the loss of revenue for the local power company.
The Granbury lawsuit thus fits into a broader pattern of communities grappling with the local impacts of the expanding cryptocurrency mining industry. As of the report’s writing, Marathon Digital had not responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit, leaving their position on the matter unclear.