Tennessee County Slams Door on Crypto Mining Operations

The Hawkins County Commissioners in Tennessee have passed their second ban related to digital assets. The unanimous vote of 12-0 banned the establishment, construction, installation, expansion, and operation of crypto mining facilities and data centers in unincorporated areas of the county.

This is not the first time Hawkins County has taken action against crypto operations. In September 2025, a similar ban was passed as part of an effort to block ExoticRidge's plans to establish its facility in the county.

A proposed settlement between ExoticRidge and county officials was put forth in January, allowing the company to construct and run its facility under certain conditions. However, these terms would restrict operations from exceeding 80 A-weighted decibels (dBA) at the property line for more than 30 minutes during any four-hour period.