The Blackshear City Council approved a first reading of a cryptocurrency ordinance at its regular meeting February 11.
Prompted by the recent cryptocurrency controversy surrounding a proposed datamining facility on Cason Road in the unincorporated area of the county, the city council felt it prudent to enact legislation of their own governing where and how any such business ventures will be managed within city limits.
Blackshear city ordinance 2025-01 states its purpose is to “enable the development of Cryptocurrency Mining and Data Centers, to the extent possible, in areas where any adverse potential effects on the community will be minimized.”
Essentially, the only place within city limits data mining enterprises could legally operate is within the confines of the Piece County Industrial Park.
The full document runs to approximately six pages and specifies a variety of conditions any future data mining operation must comply with in order to operate in Blackshear. These specifications range from requirements for the structures foundations to permissible decibels generated by equipment to emergency contact signage posted above entrances.
Included within the document is also a “decommission bond”, which would require the owners of data mining facilities to provide for the dismantling of any structures should they chose to close or cease operation.
The city council will have the second reading of the cryptocurrency ordinance at their next work session set for Mar. 4 at city hall.
