New York residents accuse Greenidge Generation of environmental violations

Residents of the town of Dresden in northern New York state have accused the bitcoin mining company Greenidge Generation of environmental harm. NBC reports.

The hybrid power plant sits on the shore of Seneca Lake — central to the Finger Lakes. According to data as of February 28, 2021, Greenidge mined 1,186 BTC in the past 12 months. In 2022 the company planned to raise its hash rate from 1.1 EH/s to 2.6 EH/s.

According to documents from 2017, the facility is permitted to withdraw 139 million gallons of water (~526 million litres) and discharge 134 million gallons (~507 million litres) per day. The allowable outlet temperature is up to 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42.2 °C) in winter and up to 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 °C) in summer.

Environmentalists contend that rising water temperature in the lake threatens some trout species inhabiting Seneca.

“The lake is so warm that it feels like you’re in a hot tub,” said one local resident.

In April a Greenidge spokesperson rejected accusations of discharging warm water into the lake. He said the facility uses “state-of-the-art technologies,” and the company plans to continue investing in modern environmental protection methods.

In May The Chronicle Express published the average daily water temperature data from Greenidge’s data centre operations from March 1 to April 17, 2021. During this period the figure ranged from 49.6°F to 54.6°F.

Later Greenidge Generation said that from June 1 it would fully neutralize the carbon footprint of Bitcoin mining through the purchase of CO₂ emission quotas. According to media reports, the next water-temperature study in Seneca would be conducted in 2023.

In late 2020, three environmental organisations and more than 20 residents of the American town of Torrey filed suit against the local authorities and Greenidge Generation. The plaintiffs say officials approved the expansion of the mining centre without an environmental impact assessment.

In July, the company announced plans to launch a new Bitcoin mining facility in South Carolina.

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