👉👉👉 Emmer says emergency #Bitcoin miner survey order was an abuse of power
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., is pushing back against a recently approved emergency request aimed at collecting data from bitcoin mining operations in the United States.
Last month, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) gave the green light to the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) request for emergency clearance to conduct a mandatory survey on the location and energy usage patterns of bitcoin mining operations across the country.
In a letter to the OMB on Tuesday, Emmer expressed his deep concern regarding the OMB's use of emergency approval authority in this instance, stating that bitcoin miners do not pose a threat to public safety.
According to the EIA, bitcoin mining accounted for between 0.2% and 0.9% of global electricity demand in 2023. In the US, the agency estimates that bitcoin mining represents between 0.6% and 2.3% of consumption.
The EIA highlighted concerns about the additional electricity usage associated with #Bitcoinmining , including its impact on cost, reliability, and emissions.
Identifying cryptocurrency mining activity among millions of US end-use customers and the dynamic nature of the crypto market pose challenges in tracking #cryptocurrency mining energy use, according to the agency.
The EIA has identified 137 bitcoin mining facilities across 21 states, with the highest concentrations in Texas, Georgia, and New York. These operations are required to respond to the agency with details related to their energy use.
Emmer pointed out that the filing does not acknowledge crypto mining's unique ability to reduce load during peak hours or adverse weather conditions.
Emmer seeks OMB clarification on emergency authorization for data collection and inquires about potential criminal charges against non-compliant companies. The EIA plans to collect data immediately and aims to release preliminary results by mid-year.
Source - blockworks.co
