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Twenty-three US congressmen<\/a> have asked the EPA to tighten monitoring of cryptocurrency\u2019s environmental effects. They stated, \u201cWe propose that the EPA review the conformity of \u2018Proof-of-Work mining facilities with environmental statutes.\u201d<\/p>\n Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA) and 22 other members of Congress wrote to EPA Administrator Michael Regan about bitcoin mining<\/a> operations.<\/p>\n The California politician is the chairman of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife. He\u2019s also a member of the Climate Crisis Select Committee in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n Rep. Huffman\u2019s office announced that the letter requests \u201cgreater oversight of cryptocurrency\u2019s environmental consequences.\u201d The lawmakers stated the following in their letter:<\/p>\n We are deeply concerned about claims that bitcoin exchanges are contaminating communities and contributing disproportionately to greenhouse gas emissions all over the country.<\/em><\/p>\n Proof-of-Work<\/a> (PoW) mining, according to the MPs, generates \u201csubstantial greenhouse gas emissions\u201d and \u201cresults in major electronic waste concerns due to the highly specialized and short-lived computing hardware needed to protect the network.\u201d \u201cThe industry must be held accountable for this waste and discouraged from making it,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n \u201cLess energy-intensive cryptocurrency mining<\/a> technologies, such as \u2018Proof-of-Stake\u2019 (PoS), are available,\u201d the Congress members added.<\/p>\n The lawmakers emphasized that \u201cit is critically important that the EPA uses these authorities to adequately protect communities across the United States being disrupted by these cryptocurrency<\/a> facilities,\u201d noting that communities near cryptocurrency mining facilities \u201chave reported significant noise pollution.\u201d They came to the following conclusion:<\/p>\n We ask that the EPA analyse the compliance of \u2018Proof-of-Work\u2019 mining operations with environmental regulations like the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act, as well as communicate with communities when considering licences.<\/em><\/p>\n Furthermore, we request that the Environmental Protection Agency examine and resolve any harm that these existing PoW plants are causing communities,\u201d the legislators stated.<\/p>\n Many of the concerns about bitcoin\u2019s negative effects on the environment have been refuted. Bitcoin mining, for example, is net positive for the environment, according to Ark Invest<\/a>, and concerns about the cryptocurrency\u2019s energy consumption are unfounded. Furthermore, in May of last year, Galaxy Digital<\/a> released a paper demonstrating that the banking system consumes substantially more energy than bitcoin.<\/p>\nLawmakers want the Bitcoin Mining Industry to be more Regulated<\/h2>\n
Also Read: Keep Your Coins Act: A Bill to Protect Privacy in Cryptocurrency Transactions Has Been Introduced by a US Lawmaker<\/a><\/h6>\n
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