Bill banning crypto mining for 3 years dies in NY state assembly

Published at: June 11, 2021

A bill which would have required miners in New York to halt operations for three years as part of an apparent effort to slow the environmental impact of crypto has been defeated in the state legislature.

New York Senate Bill 6486 failed to pass the state assembly today after lawmakers in the Democrat-controlled state senate approved the legislation earlier this week. The bill was aimed at establishing “a moratorium on the operation of cryptocurrency mining centers” while experts considered the environmental impact of mining, particularly those backed by fossil fuels.

According to a Connecticut-based National Public Radio affiliate, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers labor union spoke out against the anti-mining legislation, saying it was unfair to its members. Some in favor of the bill’s passage have cited environmental concerns, given the large energy demands for mining crypto — miners currently need a permit from New York state environmental regulators to operate.

Related: New York bill proposes to ban crypto mining for 3 years over carbon concerns

First introduced to the state legislature by Democrat senator Kevin Parker on May 3, Bill 6486 was almost immediately referred to the Environmental Conservation Committee. Lawmakers in the New York state senate passed the mining ban legislation by a 36-27 vote on Tuesday. However, the state assembly needs to approve any bill or propose amendments before it can be signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Tags
Law
Related Posts
Law Decoded: The difference between New York City and New York State, April 25-May 2
Last week, New York dominated crypto media headlines in very different ways. In New York State, the local Assembly voted in favor of the bill that would ban for two years any new mining operations that rely on proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanisms and use fossil fuel-generated energy. A temporary moratorium, which could be extended after the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation provides its assessments of the industry’s carbon footprint, marks the first major legislative attack on PoW mining on environmental grounds in the United States. The push mobilized the community — after digital asset advocacy groups rang the alarm on …
Regulation / May 2, 2022
NY State Supreme Court dismisses petition against crypto mining company
In an important precedent, a Supreme Court judge in New York state’s Yates County ruled in favor of cryptocurrency mining firm Greenidge Generation, dismissing a petition filed by a coalition of environmental activists. According to an Apr. 7 press release by Greenidge, judge Daniel Doyle dismissed a petition against the Greenidge Generation Holdings that a group of environmental organizations — Sierra Club, Seneca Lake Guardian, Committee to Preserve the Finger Lakes, as well as a number of individuals — brought in an attempt to stop the mining operation at Seneca Lake. The petition also called to halt Greenidge’s plans to …
Regulation / April 8, 2022
New York State Assembly passes ban on new BTC mines that don’t use green power
The New York State Assembly passed a bill late on Tuesday that would place a two-year ban on all new proof-of-work (PoW) cryptocurrency mining facilities in the state that use a carbon-based fuel to power their operations. The bill, sponsored by Anna Kelles, would not only impose a two-year hold on approval of any new Bitcoin mines, but the proposed moratorium would also prevent the renewal of permits issued to existing PoW cryptocurrency miners using carbon sourced energy if they seek to increase the amount of electricity consumed. Thrilled that my bill with Senate champion @kevinparkernyc A7389C/S6486D just passed in …
Regulation / April 27, 2022
Go green or go home? What the NY State mining moratorium could mean for crypto industry
On April 26, the State of New York put itself at the forefront of the regulatory struggle with crypto, as its Assembly voted for a two-year moratorium on crypto mining operations that use energy generated by fossil-fuel power plants. Depending on how one looks at it, this development could either signal a new alarming legislative trend or a trigger that would accelerate the digital asset industry’s movement toward a more sustainable path. Moratorium with further evaluation The lower chamber of the NY state legislature, the Assembly, passed a bill that would put a two-year hold on any new mining operations …
Regulation / May 1, 2022
Proposed bill in Iran could ban all foreign-mined cryptocurrencies
A new bill drafted by the Iranian Parliament Commission on Economy aims to restrict the use of cryptocurrencies within the country while providing a clearer legal framework for miners. According to a Friday report from the Tasnim News Agency, lawmakers drafted a bill titled “Support for cryptocurrency mining and organizing the domestic market for exchanges,” which the country’s parliament first announced on June 23. If passed, the legislation would make Iran’s central bank the regulatory authority for the exchange of cryptocurrencies in the country. Under the bill, all cryptocurrencies could be prohibited within Iran for payments except for a "national" …
Regulation / July 2, 2021