The lawmakers of Arkansas have filed Senate Bill 60, which prohibits the setup of cryptocurrency mining operations within 30 miles of any U.S. military facility in the state. Co-sponsored by Senator Ricky Hill and House Speaker Brian Evans, the bill is presented as an amendment to the Arkansas Data Centers Act of 2023, on matters touching on national security and noise pollution.
The bill targets a crypto mining operation near Cabot that is just five miles away from the Little Rock Air Force Base. This comes weeks after a similar 2024 federal order brought to a halt the operations of a China-linked mining firm that was operating near a military facility in Wyoming.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Trump Inauguration Sparks Crypto Volatility Warnings
Cabot Mayor Ken Kincade and Lonoke County officials don’t want the local mine because of concerns about noise and security. However, that is not the opinion of Dustin Curtis, the vice president of Interstate, behind the project. He said the mine is in compliance with all federal and state regulations, and it generates less noise than that on highways nearby.
Crypto mining operations have been under fire nationwide. For instance, last July, US Senator Elizabeth Warren expressed concern that foreign-owned crypto mines were operating on American soil.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: EigenLayer unveils Protocol Council to enhance decentralized governance efforts
The proposed bill will now go to committee and may position Arkansas as the only state that will impose restrictions. A very intense debate between innovation and security presses on.
