Granbury residents sue Marathon Digital Holdings over noise from crypto mine.
Residents near Granbury, located approximately 40 miles southwest of Fort Worth, have initiated legal action against Marathon Digital Holdings, claiming that the noise generated by its Bitcoin mining facility is excessively disruptive.
Bitcoin mining facility owned by Marathon Digital Holdings
Texas is fast becoming a hotspot in Bitcoin mining, but one North Texas community is tired of it, and they've taken action. Residents near Granbury, about 40 miles southwest of Fort Worth, have filed a lawsuit against Marathon Digital Holdings because its Bitcoin mining site is allegedly too loud.
Liana Oechsle, a property owner in proximity to the site, is among those affected and said: "Trying to talk over a giant tractor, It's shaking loud like you have to yell at the person beside you." In December 2023, Sarah Rosenkranz, a 43-year-old small business owner residing in Granbury, Texas, experienced an intense migraine lasting five days, which led her to an emergency room visit. Her symptoms manifested as a heart rate of 200 beats per minute and critically elevated blood pressure. Rosenkranz recounted her experience, stating, "It felt as though my head was being compressed in a vise." Earlier in the same year, her five-year-old daughter, Indigo, had been taken to urgent care exhibiting comparable symptoms.
By January 2024, Rosenkranz discovered that other Granbury residents were also suffering from similar health issues. During a town hall meeting, she came across many residents suffering from various health issues, including hearing impairment, episodes of fainting, dizziness, nausea, and migraines. Throughout 2024, more than 40 residents of Granbury reported experiencing medical issues that they attribute to the noise generated by the Bitcoin mining operation. The reported conditions encompassed hypertension, heart palpitations, chest pain, vertigo, tinnitus, and panic attacks. Furthermore, a minimum of 10 individuals required emergency medical attention for these symptoms.
The data center operates continuously, running computers around the clock to mine cryptocurrency. The large fans employed for cooling the machines generate a persistent noise. One of the plaintiffs, Daniel Lakey, stated: "I suffer from lack of sleep, I don't sleep at all."
Some residents also express concern that it may have an impact on animals. A MARA spokesperson said: "We categorically reject the allegations.." added that "site is is in a well-established industrial zone, and sound measurements around the facility are below legal limits."
In the legal action initiated by the non-profit environmental law firm Earthjustice on behalf of the residents, the CCAWH is requesting a permanent injunction that would compel Marathon to manage its noise levels. Additionally, the CCAWH seeks both pre-judgment and post-judgment interest at the maximum rates allowed by law.
The complete statement from MARA is as follows:
"We categorically reject the allegations raised by Earthjustice, an environmental activist law group. The data center, which we acquired less than a year ago, is in a well-established industrial zone, and sound measurements around the facility are below legal limits. In fact, sound from the data center has been reduced since we acquired it. Additionally, there is no established link - medical or otherwise - between our operations and the broad ailments that are being alleged. We are committed to being a good neighbor and have a track record of sustainable business practices and adding jobs and tax revenues to the communities in which we invest. We are seeing that take hold in Granbury, and we will defend ourselves against these false claims."
MARA Holdings, Inc. operates as a digital asset technology company, that mines digital assets with a focus on the bitcoin ecosystem in United States.
