A four-year dispute between residents of rural Hood County and a nearby Bitcoin mining facility has revealed the social costs of Texas's crypto boom. Residents turned against the state's largest digital asset miners.
At the heart of the dispute is a large Bitcoin mining operation maintained by MARA Holdings near Granbury, in unincorporated Hood County.
Bitcoin mining becomes a continuous mental torture
Neighbors report that the constant low-frequency hum from the facility's cooling systems has turned everyday life into an endless ordeal. MARA (formerly Marathon Digital) claims to operate legally, bringing investments and jobs while trying to reduce noise levels. Mining began in 2022 next to a natural gas power plant outside Granbury. Soon after, residents reported around-the-clock noise resembling 'standing next to a runway' or 'being at the edge of Niagara Falls.' Complaints increased throughout 2023 as mining expanded.
"This noise comes with power every day when I walk out into my backyard," one resident said in a recent Al Jazeera report. Others described sleepless nights, headaches, and stress. "The community is sick," another resident stated. "It's not just about the noise, but the physical strain. It's torturous."
Texas crypto boom faces local restrictions
Texas has grown to become the largest Bitcoin mining hub in the United States, accounting for nearly 30% of the nation's mining capacity in 2023. The reasons cited include affordable land, low taxation, and a deregulated electricity market. The development has encountered a key legal point: counties in Texas cannot enact enforceable noise restrictions. Only cities can do so.
Hood County officials attempted to leverage the state's 'nonsensical noise' regulations in 2024, issuing fines based on high decibel levels.
However, the proceedings collapsed in court, highlighting how narrow these laws are compared to conventional municipal noise limits.
Lawsuits and noise studies
Residents organized and filed a private lawsuit, claiming that the noise and vibrations from mining significantly disrupt the use of their homes.
The proceedings are still ongoing, with disputes regarding the acquisition of operational data and measurements.
Additionally, Hood County commissioned an independent noise level study at the end of 2024. The report indicated high noise levels near mining operations and stated that the legal threshold used in criminal law is considerably looser than the city's noise regulations elsewhere.
The report also mentioned deficiencies in access and information exchange that hindered assessments for all purposes.
MARA claims to have significantly invested in impact mitigation. The company built a large soundproof wall, replaced some cooling fans with quieter models, and began transitioning parts of the facility to liquid cooling.
Al Jazeera quoted a statement from MARA, in which MARA claims to have invested over 320 million dollars locally, supporting dozens of jobs, generating tax revenue, and "committing to being a good neighbor."
However, residents feel these actions are insufficient.
"This was our home for the rest of our lives," one resident stated. "I can't sell my property. My tax rate is now being raised above what I could get for the property."
Failed attempt to become a city
In 2025, residents tried their last resort. The goal was to register the community as a city, giving them the ability to enact local noise restrictions.
The project received national attention and a backlash from MARA, but the judge allowed the vote. Ultimately, residents rejected the incorporation as a city, and the possibility of self-governance collapsed.
"This was the plan," the organizer told Al Jazeera. "But now it has collapsed because we lost that battle."
With the incorporation attempt failing, residents plan to continue the legal battle.
