Pennsylvania State, Crypto Miner Sued for Polluting Environment
Pennsylvania state has failed to protect its residents from a crypto mining rig’s carbon dioxide emission, a court filing read.
On Tuesday, a Pennsylvania environmental NGO – Save Carbon County – filed a lawsuit in a state court, accusing Stronghold Digital Mining. The company has been reportedly burning waste coal and tiers to produce energy for its crypto mining operations.
Per the complaint, the Stronghold mining located in northeastern Pennsylvania has caused enough environmental harm by performing energy-intensive Bitcoin proof-of-work.”
The lawsuit also mentions Pennsylvania state as a defendant, a Reuters report noted.
It marks the first time the state has been sued for violating the constitutional provision guaranteeing citizens a right to a clean environment by permitting crypto mines, Aaron Freiwald, the NGO’s attorney said Tuesday.
Stronghold Digital Mining has been purportedly emitting six million tons of carbon dioxide per year. The environmental group stated that despite this, Pennsylvania has failed to ban crypto mining or advocate less energy-intense methods like “proof of stake” verification.
Save Carbon County hit Stronghold claiming that the company caused public nuisance, public liability and negligence. The group is seeking compensation from the company for engaging in crypto mining-related pollution and for environmental harms already caused.
Denying the accusations, a spokesperson from Stronghold noted that the company is alternatively cleaning-up land and water in the locality.
“Stronghold’s facilities have cleaned up millions of tons of waste coal and reclaimed over 1,050 acres of once-blighted land, now sports fields, parks, and fishing spots for local communities.”
In 2021, Stronghold Digital Mining
