The avalanche of complaints about threats to rural quality of life, unresolved issues of land ownership and leasing rights, an oil tank explosion that burned a truck packed with ammunition and widespread distrust of developers — even by a former white-collar criminal — compelled the Jefferson County Commission to impose a moratorium of at least one year on applications for construction of cryptocurrency processing centers. Crypto Colo Center Corp.’s proposal to boost McLouth’s economy by planting a crypto currency mine one-third of a mile north of town imploded under pressure from energy companies, Sierra Club, McLouth City Council, Jefferson County Redevelopment Office and, most significantly, dozens of area residents. They were aghast anybody would bring into their midst two dozen 40-foot shipping containers packed with energy-intensive computer servers that churned around the clock on electricity drawn from eight locomotive-sized generators fueled by natural gas pulled right out of the ground.
Source: The Lawrence Times
