Notwithstanding the increasing demand for crypto as well as the revolution it is bringing to the financial markets across the globe, a few do not want to let that happen. A couple of environmental groups called Sierra Club and Clean Air Coalition of Western New York submitted a lawsuit against the state agencies of New York.
Environmental Activists Slam New York with a Lawsuit over Authorizing Bitcoin Mining
These organizations take into account Digihost International, Inc. (a Canada-based crypto mining firm), North Tonawanda Holdings, LLC, Fortisar North Tonawanda, LLC, and the New York State Public Service Commission (NYPSC).
The lawsuit was filed in Albany County’s Supreme Court. The chief purpose of the lawsuit is to confront the authorization given by NYPSC for crypto mining comprising fossil fuel burning.
The mining operation is to take place in a power plant situated in North Tonawanda-based Fortistar. As per the reports, the NYPSC’s authorization automatically infringes on the extensive climate law of the state, particularly the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) of 2019.
It is mentioned in the court documents that the facility would be functional 24 hours during all 7 days of the week.
The project would expectantly develop 3,000% more greenhouse gas emissions as a hub for crypto mining. Such a lawsuit is being filed for the first time to require compliance in line with the prominent climate law of New York.
The Clean Air Coalition’s executive director Chris Murawski mentioned that the PSC has remained unsuccessful in playing the role of a regulatory agency to shield the health of the public.
As per the executive, the agency has also been ineffective in upholding the requirements related to the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
The executive added that the platform will keep on confronting the fossil-fuel burning for the generation of energy to mine crypto, particularly in residential zones such as North Tonawanda.
The greenhouse gases emitted by a power plant as a byproduct while doing its operations make a significant contribution to enhancing greenhouse gas emissions across the globe.
The petitioners of the lawsuit are of the view that the communities living around the plant’s area have been similarly impacted. They are labeled in 2019’s Act as “disadvantaged communities”.
This classification of the respective communities can result in dire consequences for the people living in New York around the power plant. This signifies that the communities living near that zone have a high probability of going through harmful environmental effects.
This can put great pressure on seven families and individuals living in the vicinity as well as the functional radius of the aforementioned power plant.
While making remarks on this, the non-profit environmental law company Earthjustice’s senior Attorney called Dror Ladin stated that the agencies cannot abandon the law.
As per the Attorney, the milestone climate law of New York orders the agencies to keep in view environmental protection. In this way, Ladin added, they are not in a position to ignore the results of the decisions made by them to disrupt the environmental scenario.
Digihost Responds to the Environmental Concerns
The Sierra Club and Clear Air discussed the environmental concerns related to the PSC while carrying out the clearance procedure. Digihost responded to this in its public papers noting that it would transform to renewable natural gas. The main objective in this would be to utilize a hundred percent hydrogen by this year’s end.