New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently paused permits for most crypto mining in effort to address excess pollution generated by such activity. This legislation was put into place in order to stop air permits for fossil fuel power plants from being utilized for purposes of "proof-of-work" authentication.
"As the first governor from upstate New York in nearly a century, I recognize the importance of creating economic opportunity in communities that have been left behind," Hochul said in a memo.
The new law put into effect because of Hochul will likely inspire a study conducted by state Department of Environmental Conservation, which reveals the general effect of cryptocurrency mining on the environment.
In spite of the fact that this new law is considered monumental, it is also considered to be "narrow in scope" according to Politico. People such as the operations team would not be adversely affected by this law. In terms of what people are actually concerned about, it is proof-of-work mining, which many individuals believe to be too energy consuming.
In turn, it is predicted that a number of states will mirror this action conducted by New York State. Senators from the Democratic Party have placed a good deal of pressure on states like Texas to do something about the act of crypto mining as a whole. According to organizations such as the the Chamber of Digital Commerce, this new law that has been set into motion by New York is actually more harmful than beneficial due to its views on proof-of-work mining being supportive to the overall state of the economy.
"The Business Council does not believe the legislature should seek to categorically limit the growth and expansion of any business or sector in New York," the business group stated. "We plan to further engage and help educate them regarding this industry and the benefits it provides to the local, regional and state economy."
- https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/23/23475019/bitcoin-new-york-moratorium-crypto-mining-kathy-hochul
- https://www.engadget.com/new-york-state-crypto-mining-law-180528956.html
- https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/22/cryptocurrency-mining-ban-new-york-00070613
- https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/22/nyregion/crypto-mining-ban-hochul.html#:~