Murphy – Crypto mining noise is worse than ever, according to some Cherokee County residents. What, if anything, county officials plan to do about it remains an open question – at least for the moment.
Dr. Dan Eichenbaum, chairman of the county board of commissioners, said more answers will be coming during a town hall public forum set to take place during the board’s next meeting. Eichenbaum made the announcement during the board’s March 21 session, after acknowledging that several individuals were signed up to speak about the issue at that time. The commissioners’ next meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the downtown courthouse.
“We will have a town hall-type public forum for Q & A, so that you will not only be able to voice your opinion but have answers given at that point,” Eichenbaum said.
Some of those who spoke March 21 argued that noise at their homes has been made worse by the partial noise abatement walls constructed around the unenclosed crypto mining operation on Harshaw Road. Phoebe Thompson, who lives about a quarter of a mile away from the facility, said Eichenbaum recently relayed information that Exponential Digital/Ankr has completed its construction of the partial enclosure.
Thompson argued that while the partial walls may lessen noise in some directions, they now funnel even more noise away from the unenclosed portions of the operation. She said sound levels can hit 65-70 decibels from her back porch.
“Some people have tried to discredit our complaints by saying 60 decibels is the level of normal conversation, but we have to acknowledge that these are 60-plus decibels of sound that were not present before and are not abating,” Thompson said.
“Imagine someone speaking in a loud voice right outside your window all night long without pause. How would you feel?”
Multiple members of the group Cherokee County Citizens Against Crypto Mining spoke during the meeting and offered to connect county attorney Darryl Brown with an attorney who has a more focused specialty on issues such as noise ordinances. That group included John Midkiff, one of two candidates running against Eichenbaum for his District 4 commission seat in the 2022 Republican Party primary.
Midkiff made the analogy that someone looking to file for divorce would logically find and hire a divorce attorney.
“He’s more than willing to work with you in everything he does,” Midkiff said of the attorney the group has been in contact with.
“You can actually put this in place with proper wording within a noise ordinance that will stop it, and stop any more (mines) from coming into town. It will also allow you to take the ones that are here, and if they don’t comply with the new restrictions, send them packing. I think that’s what most of us in this county want.”
Eichenbaum told the audience that the board would use its closed session in the March 21 meeting to discuss and approve a new sound study of noise levels near the facility on Harshaw Road. Exponential Digital/Ankr financed its own study in December 2020, before any noise abatement walls were constructed.
“If you want a sound measurement made at your place of residence, if you send me your contact information, we will turn it over to the company doing the sound study,” Eichenbaum said.
One resident argued that the county should first allow Brown to consult with the attorney recommended by Cherokee County Citizens Against Crypto Mining before commissioning a new sound study. Another individual questioned the impartiality of a study funded by the county, and whether or not Exponential Digital/Ankr might be given advance notice that would provide an opportunity for the company to turn down sound levels.
County Manager Randy Wiggins said the board ultimately did not move forward with financing a new sound study during its closed session, but the option is still being considered and investigated.