PA DEP under Dem Governor Josh Shapiro approves Trump admin official to burn tires to print cryptocurrency.
There is NO other purpose for this power plant whatsoever than to make "alternative" currency. It provides no power to the grid, and exists only to print bitcoin.
Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro’s PA Department of Environmental Protection approved tire burning for no other purpose than to power the cryptocurrency printing operation run by Trump's Loans Program director at the US Department of Energy.
Seems like there might be some conflicts here?
This power plant provides no power to the community. Greg Beard is not the sole owner as there were reports that Bitfarms the Canadian company which is being accused of misleading people according to a notice published last month, would be buying the crypto printing operation at Panther Creek, but Greg Beard's Linkedin post describes it as a merger, and he is apparently still listed as the CEO, along with his new Department of Energy position in the Trump administration.
PA Environment Digest - Friday, May 16, 2025 DEP Approves Tire Derived Fuel For Stronghold Digital Mining's Panther Creek Coal Waste Power Plant In Carbon County The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the May 17 PA Bulletin announcing that on May 1 it approved the use of Tire Derived Fuel as a supplemental fuel for the Panther Creek coal waste-fired power plant owned by Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc.-- a cryptocurrency operation-- in Nesquehoning Borough, Carbon County. (PA Bulletin, page 3512) The proposal was opposed by local residents and the Save Carbon County organization who raised concerns about increased air emissions and other issues. Read more here. A copy of the approved Air Quality Plan Approval is available at the DEP Northeast Regional Office in Wilkes-Barre. Those aggrieved by the decision have 30 days from this notice to file an appeal with the Environmental Hearing Board. Questions should be directed to Shailesh Patel, P.E., Environmental Group Manager, Air Quality Program, DEP Northeast Regional Office, 2 Public Square in Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701-1915 or call 570-826-2511. Read the entire PA Bulletin notice for more information. (PA Bulletin, page 3512) (emphasis added)
"Tire derived fuel" - what a euphemism!
And you bet I'm aggrieved.
Why on earth was this approved?
And all of this for crappy inappropriate dangerous and deranged “tech” (so-called). When cryptocurrency is bad and people who support it are the bad guys. And AI is pretty much a big persuasive PR hoax as well. Even the Pope has come out against this stuff.
And you can see all my crypto, AI hype, and data center power plant related posts at the bottom of this page:
Sadly I have to update that list regularly because the bad news just keeps on comin'.
And here's a link to The Letterhack podcast stream where I talk about this issue:
AI is BAD for the ENVIRONMENT w/ CHLOE HUMBERT - The Letterhack Streamed live on Apr 15, 2025
Here’s why I call it cryptocurrency printing (because that’s what it is).
And if you think that noise pollution can't be that bad, that it's only the horrendous air pollution, here's a podcast on that yes, noise pollution is bad for health too. They call it an invisible killer. (Obviously not exactly a silent killer. ba dum bum.)
The Documentary Podcast - LOUD: Is noise an invisible killer? March 16, 2025
And if you think they're going to stop at burning tires, I would NOT count on that. You know what's happening to all that plastic that doesn't actually get recycled? They're burning the plastic as fuel in food factories in Indonesia (and probably elsewhere).
Indonesia’s TOXIC TOFU Timebomb: Poisoning Millions Daily - Andrew Fraser Apr 26, 2025
Everything else seems to be happening here so…