The Republican senator publicly opposed the bill to regulate cryptocurrency mining, explaining that mining is bad for the local environment.

In April, the Arkansas House of Representatives and Senate approved a bill to regulate the activities of miners, according to which mining farms will be controlled on an equal basis with data processing centers (DPCs). However, some local legislators believe that this bill will not prevent discrimination against miners, but will only limit the powers of city authorities to control the mining of cryptocurrencies.

Opponents of the new rules include Arkansas Senator Bryan King, who is preparing a counter bill. The parliamentarian is convinced that the increased noise level from the equipment can reduce the quality of life of local residents and have a bad effect on the environment.

A colleague of the Senator, Republican Joshua Bryant, is confident that the bill approved by the local parliament was aimed at protecting the property rights of miners and eliminating prejudices against cryptocurrency entrepreneurs. Miners can be residents of Arkansas who invest in the state’s infrastructure, optimize utility costs and support the local economy, the politician believes.

In different states, approaches to the production of cryptocurrencies are very different. Last year, the New York State Senate upheld a two-year ban on the opening of new mining companies that mine cryptocurrencies using the Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus method. And in May, the Governor of Montana signed a law prohibiting local governments from passing laws against miners.