US Senators Have Taken A Closer Look At Bitcoin Mining
The US Senate held a hearing on the environmental impact of crypto mining, calling for greater transparency regarding energy consumption.
Valentin
March 13, 2023
US senators in the Committee on Environment and Public Works discussed the energy consumption of crypto mining on March 7 (You can watch the whole discussion here). The committee was led by Ed Markey, a Democratic Senator from Massachusetts, who pointed out the significant growth of crypto mining in the US over the past two years. During the hearing, several experts were questioned, including Courtney Dentlinger, Vice President of Customer Service and External Affairs at the Nebraska Public Power District. Dentlinger expressed a favorable view of mining activities and emphasized their potential to improve energy infrastructure efficiency and stabilize power grids.
Markey is pushing for a bill to increase transparency in the electricity consumption of US mining companies, in order to better understand their impact on the environment. The hearing also featured expert witnesses such as Rob Altenburg, Director of Energy and Climate at PennFuture, and Assemblymember Anna Kelles from New York state.