US Congressional Group ‘Disturbed’ by Crypto Mining Energy Usage

Congressman Jared Huffman, D-Calif., joined five Democratic U.S. senators in penning a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy pushing for more control on the environmental impacts of cryptomining.

Huffman and Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., asked the EPA and DOE to work together to require cryptominers to report their emissions and energy use, a Friday (July 15) press release from Huffman said.

Seven cryptominers responded to the letters they received from legislators about reporting their crypto emissions and energy usage.

“The results of our investigation… are disturbing… revealing that cryptominers are large energy users that account for a significant — and rapidly growing — amount of carbon emissions,” the lawmakers said in their letter. “Our investigation suggests that the overall U.S. cryptomining industry is likely to be problematic for energy and emissions. But little is known about the full scope of cryptomining activity.

“Given these concerns, it is imperative that your agencies work together to address the lack of information about cryptomining’s energy use and environmental impacts, and use all available authorities at your disposal…  to require reporting of energy use and emissions from cryptominers,” the legislators wrote.

The total annual global electricity consumption associated with bitcoin and ethereum alone is about the same as the annual electricity usage of the United Kingdom, the press release said, leading to almost 80 million tons of carbon dioxide emission in 2021.

The seven companies who responded said they have developed more than 1,045 MW capacity for cryptomining, enough to power all the residences in Houston.

Related: Congressional Democrats Ask EPA to Review Crypto’s Environmental Impact

Huffman also led an effort by more than two dozen Democratic lawmakers in April to ask the EPA to explore the environmental impact of crypto miners. The lawmakers said in that spring letter that efforts are underway to reopen power plants that burned coal or natural gas so they can provide electricity for crypto-mining computers.

Cryptocurrency mining farms also create significant noise pollution, the letter said.

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