(Radio Iowa) – Cedar Falls leaders are considering new zoning which could accommodate a proposed cryptocurrency mine, but nearby residents are worried about noise and property values. The city’s planning and zoning commission is weighing a crypto mine near property where Cedar Falls Utilities plans to build a power plant. Nathan Nebbe lives on 22 acres of land directly across from the industrial park where the proposed power plant and crypto mine would be built. He says he and his family received notice of the possible rezoning just two days before the commission meeting.
“I was incredibly, I guess you might say just flat out hurt when a couple days ago we get this letter telling us that for a crypto mine, I’m sorry, that’s what it is,” Nebbe says. “We’ve been there for 40 years. That was a gut punch.” Matt Hein is a spokesman for Simple Mining, the bitcoin mining operation that would be built in the industrial park. “One of the things we pride ourselves on is collaboration with utilities and communities,” Hein says. “We don’t sneak in anywhere. We are very open and honest about what we do.”
The commission is also considering new standards for noise, setbacks and landscape screening and plans to discuss them again at the meeting on April 22nd.
