Chinese mining company Bitmain got the approval to start a blockchain facility in Walla Walla County, in Washington State. With the agreement of three commissioners According to the Union-Bulleting a local news paper.
Ant Creek in the past months has been talking with officials to buy land in western Walla Walla, with Jihan Wu, listed as the governing person and Jeff Stearns as the director of operations, the initial deal included 40 acres of lands, resulting in 10 acres given to the company in a testing period in order to show the technological potential Bitsman.
If the offer is accepted the company would pay a monthly fee of $4,701.67 until the end of the lease in late 2018, after that the company will be given the choice of acquire the land, paying $150,000 in addition to the $2.5 million that will be spend in constructing a road to the facility (As now the land is inaccessible) and the cost of drinkable and fire protection Water $440,000 together. Either way to this, Stearns, haven’t denied or accepted the deal.
The decision, made in a public hearing, rose controversy as some locals accused the company of being in benefit of anonymous people while using the county electricity, although Les Teel, CEO of Columbia Rural Electric Association (REA) clarified the company could fulfill the project demands without putting the system in risk, concern still present with the evidence of excessive energy needs of blockchain facilities. However, the decision was taken with the support of the majority of residents in agreement to the deal as Peter Swant, the president of the commission said “We are elected to do what the people would like us to do.”
Read the article of Union-Bulleting using this link:
http://www.union-bulletin.com/news/business/scaled-back-blockchain-lease-ok-d/article_2730cdfe-3f49-11e8-b2f8-efafbae1a292.html
by Samuel Larreal
