CEDC president urges calm, offers forum as residents press council over proposed Bitcoin-mining site
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Summary
Ken McDermott, president of the Cascade Economic Development Corporation, told the council that Simple Mining plans a 40-megawatt Bitcoin-mining facility in Cascade, that a development agreement caps noise at 65 dB at the property line, and the council agreed to schedule a dedicated public forum so residents can ask questions of the developer.
Ken McDermott, president of the Cascade Economic Development Corporation, told the March 23 Cascade City Council meeting that Simple Mining intends to build a 40-megawatt Bitcoin "bit mining" operation on a site near Oak Hill, using about 50 containerized units cooled with closed-loop radiators.
"First of all, Simple Mining is not putting in a data center," McDermott said, adding the site will be a "bit mining or Bitcoin mining business" and that "there's no fans blowing out of these containers" and "there's basically no sound that you really hear." He said a development agreement limits sound at the property edge to 65 decibels.
Residents raised questions about enforcement, water use and electric load. David Robinson asked whether the city possesses equipment to measure decibel levels and how enforcement would work; the chair answered that the city would likely need to enlist a firm to perform monitoring. Megan Allerton said payment amounts from the Economic Development Corporation to the city appear to be discretionary and called that "alarming," arguing the funds should be secured for city improvements.
McDermott said Simple Mining would make payments to the economic development group equivalent to a building valued at about $2,000,000 and that the project would create seven to eight jobs. He also said Maquoketa Valley (the local electric service) has indicated there is sufficient capacity and can take the site offline during peak usage so other customers are not affected.
Several residents who visited a Manchester, Iowa, facility owned by the same company said noise was minimal at modest distances. Still, Oak Hill neighbors and other speakers pressed for clearer oversight. Council members and residents agreed a dedicated public forum should be scheduled so the developer and CEDC can answer questions in a longer format and with council participation. McDermott offered to invite Adam Haines of Simple Mining to attend a forum and to lead tours of the Manchester site.
Next steps: the council agreed to organize a standalone meeting focused on the project so residents can raise concerns and the developer can respond.
