The New York State Supreme Court rejected the petition to halt construction of Greenidge Generation’s bitcoin-mining facilities near Seneca Lake, as stated in a press release.
The suit was brought by the Sierra Club and Seneca Lake Guardian. They argue that the new bitcoin-mining facilities threaten the environment.
Judge Daniel J. Doyle noted that the Greenidge Generation project “will not affect the air or water of Seneca Lake.” The petition has no grounds, he said.
“Greenidge acted in good faith after obtaining the necessary permits to begin construction,” states in the decision.
According to the press release, this is the fifth ruling in the company’s favour since 2016. Greenidge Generation representatives stressed that they operate “in full compliance with the state’s permits.”
Greenidge Generation is located in Dresden, New York. In December 2020, environmental groups and residents of the neighboring town of Torrey filed a lawsuit against the local administration and the company. The plaintiffs say officials approved the expansion of the mining center without an environmental impact assessment.
In July 2021, Dresden residents accused Greenidge Generation of environmental violations. Earlier the company promised to fully neutralize the carbon footprint from bitcoin mining by buying CO₂ emission credits.
In October, Greenidge Generation ordered 22,500 ASIC miners for deployment at new sites in Texas and South Carolina. The investments in the project, located in the latter state, will total $264 million.
In March, Greenidge Generation raised $108 million for a threefold increase in the hashrate—to 4.7 EH/s.
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