BRANSON, Mo. (KY3) – Branson residents had a chance to speak out about cryptocurrency mining Monday night.
The city is considering rules for data centers and cryptocurrency mining centers. The planning commission held a public hearing on the topic. In early June, the Board of Aldermen delayed any development of data centers or cryptocurrency mining for 100 days.
This is so there would be time to come up with zoning rules for them. Cryptocurrenty mining uses a lot of energy and some have concerns about its impact on the environment.
A company is reportedly interested in building a data mining center in Branson. The city said it wants to balance technological innovation with the wants and needs of the community.
The city is considering special use rules for data mining centers that would put limits on noise and include other site requirements.
“Everyone knows the laws of good business,” said one woman who spoke at the public hearing. “The law of good business is everybody wins. In this situation, we don’t win, they win.”
“It can go somewhere else, but that’s a ridiculous thing for us to do,” said a man who supports cryptocurrency mining in Branson. “This is exactly what the state of Missouri has chosen as a target industry. It’s the industry that we’ve asked for to come to this town. It’s high paying jobs. One man, who has already moved here by the way, is the owner of the business and he’s moving here to oversee it. Everyone else will be hired from here.”
The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates crypto mining uses between 0.6 and 2.3 percent of all U.S. energy consumption. There are more than 130 crypto mining facilities in the U.S. and that number is growing.
The Board of Aldermen will hold another public hearing this Thursday at 6 p.m. The city said no changes will be made until the middle of August.
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