Bitcoin mining firm CleanSpark has received backlash from local residents regarding its proposal to expand its mining operations in Tennessee.
The proposed expansion would see CleanSpark construct a 30MW facility on a 50-acre parcel of land situated at 178 Rainbow Road in Mountain City.
Mountain Electric General Manager, Rodney Metcalf, spoke up in favor of the project at the Mountain City Planning Board on April 24, claiming the revenue generated by the facility would replace incomes that were lost amid the recent closure of the Parkdale Mills plant, which closed down in 2024.
However, hundreds of locals have voiced their opposition to the plans in a Change.org petition, which attracted 679 signatures within one day of going live. The figure is now 711 at time of publication.
The petition titled “Prevent Cleanspark’s Bitcoin Facility in Mountain City, TN,” created by Zach Jensen, states:
“Mountain City, Tennessee, is not just another dot on the map. It’s a rare gem in the Appalachian landscape—a serene, rural town bursting with old-world charm, musical hertiage (sic), and natural beauty.
“While innovation and technological advancements are important, they should not come at the expense of our environment and quality of life. Research into Bitcoin mining is clear about the detrimental impacts it can have. Facilities of this nature are notorious for producing intense noise pollution, straining already limited energy resources, and putting additional stress on water supplies.”
Jensen claims that any potential economic benefits generated by the Bitcoin mining facility wouldn’t make up for the environmental cost and the loss of the town’s peaceful, rural atmosphere.
With just 2,415 people currently living in Mountain City, and the petition stating that 68 percent of supporters come from within the local zip code, that would amount to 20 percent of the population.
One signee commenting on the petition pointed out that with the next Bitcoin halving event just around the corner, the proposed site at Mountain City may be doomed to be short-lived. A Bitcoin halving event is when the rate at which coins are released by mining is halved.
“By 2028, 98 percent of all Bitcoin available (21m coins) will have been mined. This business is likely a short-term viable operation, due to the diminishing Bitcoin supply to be mined. In addition, the next “halving” event for Bitcoin is in April 2028, which essentially means anything mined after that date will be halved; in other words – production costs will then double,” stated the commenter.
CleanSpark currently has 24 Bitcoin mining sites in operation across Wyoming, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Georgia.