TOP PHOTO: Campbell County Attorney Joe Coker read the legal opinion of CTAS to commissioners on the Ways and Means Committee, that the county’s only means to regulate the industry would be through zoning regulations.

By Charlotte Underwood 

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – Tensions were high at Tuesday evening’s Ways and Means Committee meeting with Bit Coin Mining operations being discussed and whether or not the county can regulate it in unincorporated areas, including the current operation being built in White Oak. 

Concerned citizens from the White Oak community once again made the trip to the courthouse to voice their opinion on the crypto currency mining operation that is being built in their community by AVIT USA.

Chad B. Tindell, the attorney for AVIT, along with Phil Hicks, the general manager for the project were at Tuesday’s Ways and Means Committee meeting to field questions from the public and county commissioners.

Citizens had brought the issue before the county commission at its June workshop and again last week at the meeting, resulting in Commissioner Tyler King requesting the issue be moved to the Ways and Means Committee. 

Bit coin is a digital currency. The “mining” of bit coin uses vast amounts of power and electricity, often straining power grids and according to national studies, it has a “negative impact on the environment, emitting millions of tons of Carbon dioxide (Co2), as well as large amounts of electronic waste.”

Tensions were high at Tuesday evening’s Ways and Means Committee meeting with Bit Coin Mining operations being discussed and whether or not the county can regulate it in unincorporated areas, including the current operation being built in White Oak.  Citizens once again traveled to the courthouse to voice their concern.

According to the legal representation for AVIT USA and the Project GM, the bit coin mining facility being built in White Oak is a “different type of facility” that “doesn’t cause issues like other types of operations.” 

According to Tindell and Hicks, the facility being built is hydro cooled by water and not air cooled, “so noise will not be above 80 decibels and the machines operate at 70 decibels.”

The facility will have “several thousand computers” working that will need cooled. 

Chad B. Tindall, the attorney representing AVIT USA, the company building the bit coin mining operation in White Oak, addressed county commissioners on the Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday evening.

Hicks called it a “small data center” and also said it is cooled by “a self contained water system that uses no chemicals and will not have any runoff and no chemicals.”

Citizens questioned whether it would drain the power grid.

According to Hicks, the facility is being built next to a LaFollette Utility substation made to handle a higher power draw than what the facility will require. 

“The max power the community uses is 6 Kilowatts; That substation was built for 30 KW,” Hicks said.

At last week’s monthly workshop,  citizens had asked the commission to consider approval of a resolution that would possibly regulate companies putting in crypto currency mining, making them go before the commission for approval before going into unincorporated areas. The resolution was given to County Attorney Joe Coker, who then submitted it to the County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) for advice.  

Phil Hicks, AVIT USA.

Coker read the reply from CTAS at Tuesday’s meeting, saying that according to CTAS the “proper way to regulate it would be through zoning” and regardless, the current operation under construction would be “grandfathered in” under the fact that the county doesn’t have zoning codes.

“CTAS said the attached resolution would not be legally enforceable; regulation must be done through zoning. Furthermore if it’s under construction, it would be grandfathered. It may not be the reply you wanted, but its the reply we recieved,” Coker said. 

Commissioner Zach Marlow asked if the County power’s Act would be applicable. 

Chad B. Tindell, the attorney for AVIT, was at Tuesday’s Ways and Means Committee meeting to field questions from the public and county commissioners.

“They are saying the proper way to do this is through zoning to regulate these types of businesses. I would suggest you invite someone from CTAS and have a meeting you can ask questions and the public can as well,” Coker said.

According to Hicks, AVIT has a five year contract with TVA to purchase power for the business.  He said the facility should be in operation by September.

“At a minimum, we intend being here five years, but as long as business is viable, we plan to be here long term,” Hicks said 

Citizens said “for the record, they still did not want it in their small community of White Oak.” (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 06/28/2023-6AM)

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