:no_upscale()/imgs/2024/03/27/08/6411152/b9f1f69daf67315ac24b94cc91434ab684363850.jpeg "Cryptominers in the US face a lawsuit due to… environmental problems Doubtful, but possible")
On Tuesday, environmental group Save Carbon County filed a lawsuit against Stronghold Digital Mining and the state of Pennsylvania. The lawsuit alleges that Stronghold’s bitcoin mining operation in northeastern Pennsylvania is polluting nearby communities with harmful chemicals.
The lawsuit alleges that Stronghold’s use of a coal-fired power plant to fuel its energy-intensive mining operations releases hazardous substances such as mercury into waterways and sulfur dioxide into the air. Save Carbon County is seeking compensatory and punitive damages from Stronghold, as well as an order stopping the state from allowing further pollution.
The group argues that Stronghold’s activities create a public nuisance and conflict with Pennsylvania’s constitutional obligations to protect the environment. Although Stronghold says its efforts are aimed at cleaning up waste coal and revitalizing the area, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Conservation declined to comment on the lawsuit.