Bitcoin Mining Center Sparks Uproar in Alabama Town

Despite protests from residents and moratoriums at both county and town level, a massive Bitcoin mining data center is moving forward in Somerville, Alabama. The 50-MW facility from VoltCore will be built on private land without zoning restrictions. Morgan County Commission Chairman Ray Long acknowledged that the county 'can't keep them from doing anything right now because there's no laws at all in Morgan County in rural areas.'

The lack of zoning laws is due to Alabama's Dillon's Rule, which grants counties power over zoning only when they reach 600,000 residents. Since Morgan County has fewer than that, the county and town are unable to stop the construction.

A petition with about 2,000 signatories and a GoFundMe campaign have been launched in an effort to hire a lawyer to help with the situation. Alabama's Limited Self-Governance Act does provide for concerns over noise and pollution but specifically prevents it from being used to control zoning.