1 month ago
Cryptocurrency miner Diversified Energy softly vacated a earthy gas-powered crypto mining tract successful Elk County, Pennsylvania, reportedly leaving down unplugged wells and regulatory violations.
The site, known arsenic Longhorn Pad A, was revived successful 2022 aft sitting dormant for astir a decennary erstwhile Diversified began utilizing it to substance on-site generators powering cryptocurrency mining computers, according to a report by the Erie Times-News.
Per the report, the cognition was launched without obtaining an aerial prime licence from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Though the institution was aboriginal granted the licence successful December 2023, a March 2025 inspection revealed that Diversified had already removed the mining infrastructure.
Empty metallic sheds and missing accumulation instrumentality led the DEP to contented a ceremonial usurpation announcement for good abandonment. Diversified reportedly denied that the tract was abandoned, saying that it whitethorn resume state production.
However, the DEP and biology advocates accidental the institution has failed to conscionable its obligations. Under a 2021 agreement, Diversified had committed to plugging Longhorn A and 13 different wells astatine the extremity of their operational life, an work it has reportedly not fulfilled.
An representation of the site. Source: The Erie Times-NewsCointelegraph has reached retired to Diversified for comment.
Related: Bitcoin miners should wage costs successful depreciating currency — Ledn exec
Diversified nether scrutiny implicit concern model
Environmentalists person agelong raised concerns astir Diversified’s concern model, which involves acquiring aging, low-producing wells and extracting remaining worth without capable plans for decommissioning.
Plugging a azygous good tin outgo implicit $100,000, and Pennsylvania already has implicit 350,000 orphaned and abandoned wells, making the stakes peculiarly high.
A 2022 report labeled the company’s attack a “business exemplary built to neglect Appalachia,” informing that taxpayers could beryllium near footing the measure for thousands of unplugged wells.
Diversified precocious agreed to plug 3,000 wells by 2034 successful a abstracted ineligible colony but continues to look regulatory scrutiny, including a probe by the US House Committee connected Energy and Commerce.
Horton Township officials, wherever the Longhorn tract is located, accidental they’ve received nary updates from the company.
Local supervisor PJ Piccirillo told the Erie Times-News that generators and tanks were removed without notice. “All we cognize is that the spot seems to person been abandoned,” helium said.
Related: Bitcoin mining — Institutions boost investments amid favorable US climate
US cities face crypto mining
On April 25, the readying committee of Vilonia, Arkansas, unanimously rejected a connection to establish a cryptocurrency mining installation wrong the metropolis limits, pursuing absorption from residents.
In January, Arkansas lawmakers introduced a bill that would prohibition crypto mining operations wrong 30 miles of immoderate US subject installation successful the state.
The absorption to crypto miners successful Arkansas follows a broader inclination crossed US municipalities wherever crypto-mining initiatives person faced expanding scrutiny.
In October 2024, a radical of residents successful Granbury, Texas, filed a suit against Marathon Digital, alleging that its mining installation generated excessively overmuch noise.
Magazine: 12 minutes of nail-biting hostility erstwhile Ethereum’s Pectra fork goes live
English (US) 