Warren believes that miners use extraordinarily high amounts of energy to perform their operations. Bitcoin mining firm Greenidge will respond to the senator with the information requested.
Elizabeth Warren, the US Senator for the Democratic Party, recently attacked Bitcoin (BTC) mining company Greenidge Generation Holdings. She alleged the firm harmed the environment and consumed extraordinarily high amounts of energy, framed in her position against the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
The CEO of the company, Jeff Kirt, received a letter from the legislator for Massachusetts. She questioned whether that company was carbon neutral according to the laws of the United States.
However, the company claims it operates with electricity sources with zero and low carbon (CO2) emissions. In addition, it is public knowledge that the company buys carbon credits, as they state on their official website.
Greenidge is currently operating in New York but plans to install a new mining farm in South Carolina. The repression against that activity in China led displaced miners to expand it to the United States.
The Senator Requests Greenidge for Data About Their Levels of Pollution
Warren wrote about their extraordinarily high use of energy and carbon emissions associated with mining Bitcoin. She said that Greenidge and other plants affect the global environment, local ecosystems, and electricity costs.
The senator requested Kirt for information about the amount of energy his company uses and how much it pollutes the environment.
That seems to be the first request from Warren aimed at knowing this data from a Bitcoin mining company. Although many studies indicate the activity does not threaten the environment, it has received criticism.
The arguments that Elizabeth Warren presents confirm her position against the pioneering cryptocurrency. She told the US Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen, that it posed risks to the US financial system due to its lack of regulations.
Greenidge and Other Plants Have Implemented the Use of Green Energy
Greenidge and other companies have struggled to maintain a positive carbon footprint as the law requires. For example, the former said that it would compensate 100% of its CO2 emissions from mining Bitcoin from June 1st.
The company defended itself against the accusations from the residents of upstate New York in July. They stated that Greenidge dumped hot water into 12,000-year-old Seneka Lake, turning it into a hot tub.
The mining firm said it would respond to Warren and clarify that it meets all New York leading national environmental standards. That is just one example of how hard it is for those businesses to operate even when they comply with the law.
The governments of many countries are increasingly aware of the relevant role that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies play in the economy. For that reason, they make efforts to regulate or prohibit mining and use them in their territories.
Although many allege harm to the environment, their main argument is that cryptocurrencies contribute to illicit activities. According to various studies, other activities cause more pollution than Bitcoin mining and fiat money is more connected to crime than crypto assets.
By Alexander Salazar
