Cryptocurrency and data centers banned in Mount Carmel after BMA vote

The Mount Carmel Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved a resolution that bans cryptocurrency mines and data centers from its boundaries at the urging of their legal counsel.

Mayor John Gibson said the city doesn’t need the headaches associated with those facilities that have also been banned in Hawkins County and the town of Surgoinsville. Gibson also noted the only benefit of those centers would be marginal tax revenue.

“I believe our responsibility is to make decisions that protect the quality of life our residents value while planning wisely for future growth. This resolution aligns Mount Carmel with the action previously taken by the Hawkins County Commission and ensures these uses are not permitted within our municipal boundaries,” Gibson said in a statement posted on his social media account.

(GRAPHIC: Property of Town of Mount Carmel / Official Facebook)