The authorities have promised that the ban will expire in a year, on August 25, 2027—or sooner, when the city council adopts amendments to the current land-use regulations. Currently, Whiteville's zoning legislation does not specify rules for regulating data centers and mining farms.
During the moratorium, authorities intend to study the impact of mining on local resources and "public health," said Whiteville Mayor Terry Mann. Local officials will have to calculate how much water is required to cool the miners, as well as determine the volumes of electricity consumed and the load on the city's infrastructure.
City hall employees fear that uncontrolled mining could lead to high greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, pollution from diesel generators, excessive amounts of electronic waste, and severe noise pollution that could harm people's health.
There are currently no active proposals to build data centers in Whiteville, but the moratorium has been declared as a preventive measure. Over the course of the year, city authorities also plan to learn from the regulatory experience of other municipalities in North Carolina regarding mining facilities.
According to last year's data from CoinShares, Bitcoin mining in the U.S. is becoming unprofitable due to rising electricity prices, the reduction of the block reward to 3.125 BTC, and the increasing difficulty of the Bitcoin network.
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