6 ms·

> But backers insist that a local mining sector, if allowed to grow, will attract other ancillary services, such as software development, and ultimately provide

> But backers insist that a local mining sector, if allowed to grow, will attract other ancillary services, such as software development, and ultimately provide the Basin with some of the tech-fueled prosperity that Seattle has enjoyed. Wow. Any municipality who falls for this crock of shit would be crazy.

tass 8y ago
It sounds good to people who don’t understand how mining works. Since this argument has been made however, they could make local prices contingent on number of jobs. If you consume x power employing less than y local employees, pay the export rate.
- zbentley 8y ago
  In my limited understanding, that sounds like a highly unusual type of regulation by US standards. Are there any other practices/industries regulated in similar ways?
  - Rapzid 8y ago
    Utilities; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_utility https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_utility .
  - tass 8y ago
    I’m not sure, though not allowing “crypto mining” specifically is also pretty unusual. In this way, they can protect their power industry and still remain attractive to other businesses who might bring other benefits to the area without having to redefine who is and isn’t allowed.
stephengillie 8y ago
Indeed, my first thought for how to exploit is already covered in the article: > In other cases, utility crews responding to unusual spikes in power usage have found racks of remotely controlled servers whirring away in empty apartments. House and apartment rental and sale prices are lower than the Seattle area as well. You could rent a 1 bedroom apartment as a "weekend getaway studio with attached server room". One alternative that would drive their intentions is that Bitcoin miners must be Washington State businesses, registered in state and with offices in-state. There are work-arounds for this, but it's another hurdle for foreign groups to overcome.
- dullgiulio 8y ago
  Well, aren't there laws that regulate the usage of buildings? Where I live (EU) you definitely cannot host mining racks in living premises. Just to get the higher power links you get questions asked.
  - jimnotgym 8y ago
    My thoughts too. In the UK you would have to apply to the local authority for 'change of use' planning consent. Even changing between different classes of commercial use requires consent. This gets posted on the gate outside and in the local press. Anyone is free to write in and make their point known. Finally an official makes a recommendation to a committee of elected representatives at an open meeting. If approved you now have a commercially rated site and have to pay 'business rates' (local tax based on the value of the property and the use it is put to) to the local authority. Sounds like there is a lot of opportunity to charge potential miners... I think even commercial electric rates in the UK are around £0.17 kwh, so mining is not likely to trouble us any time soon!
    - briandear 8y ago
      And that’s ridiculous. Me working on my computer in my house paying the asking rate for the electricity is really none of the business of my neighbors. It isn’t like someone is running a hair salon or a day care center where there could be traffic/disruption concerns.
      - jsjohnst 8y ago
        You don’t think the risk of fire and/or localized grid overload from drawing much more power than designed for a residential property is of no concern to the neighbors?
      - jimnotgym 8y ago
        What is ridiculous is reducing things to the absurd, of you can work on a computer in your house without planning permission! A remote worker can work from home. You just can't run a server farm, or have other people coming round to work there. The point is a normal home may have an office, and using that office to work is no different to using it for your household admin. A normal home does not have a server room however.
poulsbohemian 8y ago
In 2010 I decided the Puget Sound region was already too expensive and I moved to eastern Washington state. There is effectively zero software industry to speak of east of the Cascades, but if one wants to carve out a life away from Seattle / Portland / Silicon Valley, it can be done and miners certainly offer no attraction. Quite the opposite - the Port of Walla Walla is entertaining similar offers from miners seeking access to cheaper power, and I am hoping they are turned away.
_pmf_ 8y ago
> Any municipality who falls for this crock of shit would be crazy. Bitcoin is the new monorail.

tass 8y ago

It sounds good to people who don’t understand how mining works. Since this argument has been made however, they could make local prices contingent on number of jobs. If you consume x power employing less than y local employees, pay the export rate.

zbentley 8y ago
In my limited understanding, that sounds like a highly unusual type of regulation by US standards. Are there any other practices/industries regulated in similar ways?
- Rapzid 8y ago
  Utilities; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_utility https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_utility .
- tass 8y ago
  I’m not sure, though not allowing “crypto mining” specifically is also pretty unusual. In this way, they can protect their power industry and still remain attractive to other businesses who might bring other benefits to the area without having to redefine who is and isn’t allowed.

stephengillie 8y ago

Indeed, my first thought for how to exploit is already covered in the article: > In other cases, utility crews responding to unusual spikes in power usage have found racks of remotely controlled servers whirring away in empty apartments. House and apartment rental and sale prices are lower than the Seattle area as well. You could rent a 1 bedroom apartment as a "weekend getaway studio with attached server room". One alternative that would drive their intentions is that Bitcoin miners must be Washington State businesses, registered in state and with offices in-state. There are work-arounds for this, but it's another hurdle for foreign groups to overcome.

dullgiulio 8y ago
Well, aren't there laws that regulate the usage of buildings? Where I live (EU) you definitely cannot host mining racks in living premises. Just to get the higher power links you get questions asked.
- jimnotgym 8y ago
  My thoughts too. In the UK you would have to apply to the local authority for 'change of use' planning consent. Even changing between different classes of commercial use requires consent. This gets posted on the gate outside and in the local press. Anyone is free to write in and make their point known. Finally an official makes a recommendation to a committee of elected representatives at an open meeting. If approved you now have a commercially rated site and have to pay 'business rates' (local tax based on the value of the property and the use it is put to) to the local authority. Sounds like there is a lot of opportunity to charge potential miners... I think even commercial electric rates in the UK are around £0.17 kwh, so mining is not likely to trouble us any time soon!
  - briandear 8y ago
    And that’s ridiculous. Me working on my computer in my house paying the asking rate for the electricity is really none of the business of my neighbors. It isn’t like someone is running a hair salon or a day care center where there could be traffic/disruption concerns.
    - jsjohnst 8y ago
      You don’t think the risk of fire and/or localized grid overload from drawing much more power than designed for a residential property is of no concern to the neighbors?
    - jimnotgym 8y ago
      What is ridiculous is reducing things to the absurd, of you can work on a computer in your house without planning permission! A remote worker can work from home. You just can't run a server farm, or have other people coming round to work there. The point is a normal home may have an office, and using that office to work is no different to using it for your household admin. A normal home does not have a server room however.

poulsbohemian 8y ago

In 2010 I decided the Puget Sound region was already too expensive and I moved to eastern Washington state. There is effectively zero software industry to speak of east of the Cascades, but if one wants to carve out a life away from Seattle / Portland / Silicon Valley, it can be done and miners certainly offer no attraction. Quite the opposite - the Port of Walla Walla is entertaining similar offers from miners seeking access to cheaper power, and I am hoping they are turned away.

_pmf_ 8y ago

> Any municipality who falls for this crock of shit would be crazy. Bitcoin is the new monorail.