Many residents of Granbury, Texas, are suffering from a host of debilitating health problems. They point fingers at the never-ending whirr and hum of the new MARA-owned bitcoin mine located right next door. A recent town hall meeting turned the community members’ rising concerns into reality. Time and again, attendees recounted how the mine’s operations have profoundly and negatively changed the course of their lives.

The biggest issue seems to be an ongoing, low-frequency hum that residents claim comes from the MARA bitcoin mine. This noise, widely characterized as a low-frequency hum, growl, or roar, shifts in loudness depending on the time of day. This large oscillation makes the neighborhood almost unlivable for those who reside on and around the freeway. The noise alone is not only annoying, but it shakes windows. It is making it impossible for residents to get the sleep necessary to function.

Danny Lakey, a Granbury resident, is one who spoke out early on. He and others are seeking solutions to mitigate the noise pollution, which they believe is directly impacting their health and overall quality of life.

Karen Pearson, another resident, at first didn’t make the link between her symptoms and the bitcoin mine. As the noise continued to increase and her health problems became more acute, she started to connect the dots.

Nick Browning and his wife, Virginia, have suffered major turbulence, too. Nick told us that he began developing hypertension in 2022 and 2023 as the mine became more active. The Brownings’ bedroom, located on the top floor of their home. Specifically, that the sheer amount of intrusive noise has created a difficult environment for them to achieve restorative and peaceful sleep.

In some instances, the mine’s noise levels have jumped as high as a shocking 82 decibels! This intense light regime can be disruptive to wildlife and can have adverse health effects with long-term exposure. Residents speak of living in a prison of their own homes, unable to avoid the constant drone that disrupts their sleep, work, and play. Now residents say the bitcoin mine is destroying their way of life.

At the height of these tensions during a recent town hall meeting, a scuffle broke out. Residents, clearly exhausted from the constant clattering of trains, told their stories to a standing room only audience. Residents weren’t shy about seizing the first public airing of their frustrations on a national stage. They demanded that local authorities and the mine’s operators protect their communities.

"We’re not stopping and we’re not giving up. And you can intimidate us as big as you want with your money or your corporation, but we’re not going to go away." - Karen Pearson

What’s clear is that residents of Granbury aren’t going to let anyone disrupt their peace and well-being without a vigorous fight. All they are asking for are some common sense measures to reduce the noise pollution and restore normalcy to their community.

The health problems experienced by Granbury residents are diverse and severe. While some have reported feeling like they’re “in a fishbowl,” others have developed incapacitating migraine-like symptoms and an inability to focus.

"It felt like my head was in a pressure vise being crushed." - Sarah Rosenkranz

Underlying symptoms have resulted in a noticeable deterioration in their general state of well-being. The ongoing construction noise has prevented them from being able to peacefully enjoy, work, or safely conduct even basic everyday activities inside their homes.

The MARA bitcoin mine’s bad choice in location makes it even more detrimental to surrounding residents. The facility’s proximity to residential neighborhoods creates a very easy pathway for noise to travel, impacting hundreds of homes in the process. The mine runs 24-hours a day, making the situation worse by establishing a continuous source of disruption.

Further, the residents of Granbury do not oppose the bitcoin mine. Instead, they are currently pressing the company to decrease the surplus noise pollution it’s generated. Their conviction is that there is a better way for the mine to operate that won’t wreak this level of havoc on the community.

We could address the dangerous problem by building noise walls. We would supplement curtailment with other mitigation measures, like stopping all mining at night and/or moving the facility further away from homes. Residents have been calling on local government to step in and enforce these noise regulations as a way to preserve their health and well-being.

Granbury is an example of how industrial uses directly harm residential communities and their quality of life. It poses deeper questions about ensuring economic development opportunities don’t come at the price of infringing on all residents’ quality of life.

Granbury residents are highly motivated to ensure their voices are heard. They need the EPA to do more than study the problem, but take concrete action to address the noise pollution. Specifically, they are committed to working with local government and mining companies. Ultimately their aim is to discover a better path forward that will allow the community to live together in harmony.

The Granbury case isn’t the only instance. Though these communities have found some success so far, communities nationwide are encountering similar issues as they deal with increasingly prevalent noise pollution emitted by industrial facilities. These cases illustrate the immediate need for stronger regulations. We need to do better on enforcement as well to shield our communities from the insidious impacts of noise.

The residents of Granbury are just looking for a good outcome that will restore quiet enjoyment to their daily lives. They won’t give up their health and well-being to achieve that peace. They are equally committed to holding the mine’s operators accountable and making sure that their voices are heard.