Zeros

When the Data Center Moves In and the Water Follows Residents along University Lane in Mason County, West Virginia didn't sign up to be a cautionary tale. But that's where they landed on the weekend of May 23rd , when a construction site for the Monarch Compute Campus — a data center initiative between AI company Nscale and energy infrastructure firm Fidelis New Energy [ MSN ] — contributed to severe flooding that damaged their homes. Site manager Jason Bechtle acknowledged that the storm dropped roughly a month's worth of rain in two days, and that while the site's stormwater measures had passed inspection the prior week , a stretch of silt fence gave way under the volume of water. [ The Cool Down ] The company said it would cover cleanup and repair costs. That's something, at least . But one resident noted the damage started earlier than the flood — during tree clearing, he says workers took down 12 to 15 trees on his property . [ WCHS ]  The floo...

Digital Currency & Mining Policy:  Hawkins County Tried to Stop a Bitcoin Mine. Now They're Being Sued. Last week, we covered Washington County's five-year fight to shut down a noisy Bitcoin operation — a fight they eventually won through a 2023 lawsuit settlement that finally took effect. This week, we find out what happens when the county next door tries to head that problem off before it starts. The answer, predictably, is a federal lawsuit. Hawkins County commissioners voted 10-2 in September 2025 to ban cryptocurrency mining and data center operations outright, citing noise, power consumption, infrastructure burden, and what the resolution called an incompatibility with the county's rural character. Residents near the proposed site — within 1,000 feet of homes and a church — showed up in force. Dairy farmers raised specific concerns about noise affecting milk production in their herds. The vote was decisive. The room erupted in cheers. The cheering di...

Tennessee Bitcoin Mine Closes — And the Ripple Effects Are Just Beginning  March 28, 2026 · Washington County, TN After five years of relentless fan noise and three years of legal proceedings, a Bitcoin mining operation in rural Washington County, Tennessee , shut its doors this weekend under the terms of a 2023 lawsuit settlement. The mine, operated by CleanSpark , ceased operations on  Saturday, March 28 , and has up to 120 days to remove its equipment. For digital currency hobbyists watching the landscape, this story is about a lot more than one noisy facility in Appalachia. "I won't believe it until I see it. Well, I won't believe it until I hear it." — Preston Holley, Washington County resident Source: WCYB News 5, Washington County, TN · Published March 28, 2026 What Actually Happened The Washington County mine has been a source of community friction almost from the moment it switched on. Residents described constant machine noise loud enough to...