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Arkansas legislature passes bills regulating crypto mining noise, banning foreign owners

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Arkansas legislature passes bills regulating crypto mining noise, banning foreign owners


Arkansas lawmakers on Wednesday gave final approval to two bills regulating cryptocurrency mining operations in the state and delivered them to the governor’s office to be signed into law.

Both bills are meant address what proponents say are shortcomings in 2023’s Act 851, the Arkansas Data Centers Act, which bars local governments from regulating crypto mining operations.

Act 851 passed easily in 2023’s regular session but has since come under fire for allowing crypto mines to operate without sufficient oversight. Many members of the General Assembly say that they didn’t fully understand aspects of the law when it was passed.

Crypto mines face widespread criticism for the loud noise that they often produce as well as the large amounts of water and electricity they consume.

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Many lawmakers voiced worry that the facilities could put a strain on already overtaxed aquifers, hurting farmers, and potentially overburden the energy grid.

Some lawmakers voiced concerns about cybersecurity risks related to foreign ownership.

The intense backlash to the passage of Act 851 has now led to the passage of the first major pieces of substantive non-budget legislation ever passed during a fiscal session, according to several lawmakers.

The final passage in the House on Wednesday comes after the sponsors of the two bills appeared before a legislative committee Tuesday for a final round of questioning and debate.

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Rep. Rick McClure, R-Malvern, and Sen. Joshua Bryant, R-Rogers, the sponsors of Senate Bill 78, as well as Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View, and Rep. Jeremiah Moore, R-Clarendon, the sponsors of Senate Bill 79, fielded questions from members of the House City, County and Local Affairs Committee.

Most agreed that something had to be done to address the many disparate concerns related to crypto mining and the bills were an acceptable start, though there was not a consensus that the bills presented a perfect or permanent solution.

Noise reduction in new bills

Senate Bill 78 requires crypto facilities to use noise reduction, listing methods such as liquid cooling, submerged cooling, building at least 2,000 feet from the nearest building or “fully enclosing the envelope” — meaning building solid walls on all sides of the crypto mine.

The bill also requires noise reduction and bans crypto operations from using water to cool their servers.

Some lawmakers, including Rep. Tippi McCullough, D-Little Rock, and Rep. Andrew Collins, D-Little Rock, pointed to language they said didn’t require these specific noise mitigation measures explicitly enough. They said the language is ambiguous as to whether other noise reduction might also technically meet the letter of the law.

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McCullough asked whether the bill mandates the specific types of noise reduction listed, or might “open it up to maybe just putting some cotton balls outside the walls and saying ‘we tried to reduce the noise.’”

Bryant said the bill should be read to mean that noise reduction must be as effective as those methods.

Foreign ownership barred

Both bills would bar many foreign nationals from owning any interest in crypto mining.

Nationals of countries on the list of countries subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations would not be able to own a stake in a crypto mine.

Bryant and Irvin worked together to merge the sections of SB 78 and SB 79 regarding foreign ownership so that they are compatible. Bryant lowered the percentage stake that a foreign national can own from 15% to 0% in order to match SB 79.

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Bryant said that using the list of countries in the regulations as opposed to barring nationals of particular countries was not a perfect solution but an efficient one.

“[As] a legislative body, we don’t have time to react to everything that’s happening in the world. Is it the best way to handle it? I’m not sure. But as it’s been said, we just don’t know and this is a step to try to control that.”

An owner of a crypto mine whose country is added to that list would have to divest from the mine, Bryant said.

Hobby mining allowed

Bryant said that under SB 78, crypto mining would be allowed as a hobby “within the four walls of the castle of your home.”

A handful of lawmakers asked how home crypto mining would be defined and differentiated from commercial crypto mining. Bryant and Entergy’s Director of Public Affairs John Bethel said that the scale of crypto mining out of a residence will be necessarily limited by the constraints of residential grade electrical service.

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“It’s almost like going to the diamond mines out here and having a good fun day, and you might get lucky that day, versus buying a diamond mine with all the equipment, all the employees and everything else. It’s just two different things,” McClure said.

Skepticism and criticism

“These are really stopgap bills until we get to the ’25 general session?” asked Rep. Carol Dalby, R-Texarkana.

Bryant agreed, saying that “there’s going to be a lot more discussion unfolding in 2025 and also between now and then.”

Rep. David Ray, R-Maumelle, said of SB 78: “Everybody can probably find something that they’re not 100% on board with but with the big issues as it pertains to this bill, those being noise, vicinity and foreign ownership, I think it address all the big things.”

Collins appeared to be the only “no” in the final voice votes that passed both bills.

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“I think in a lot of ways, it’s positive,” he said of SB 78, but “the reason I have to be a ‘no’ on it is that it goes too far in taking away liberties. In restricting foreign ownership in this way, we are casting a net that is both too wide and too narrow. It’s going to catch people up who are totally innocent and it’s going to miss a lot of people who are either home grown or from one of the countries not on this list.”

“We can’t really put that back in the bottle if we pass this,” Collins said.

Others disagreed, saying that there would be opportunities to improve upon the legislation.

“We’ve got between now and January to work with the sponsors and with other members of this body and the Senate, to get us there,” said Rep. David Whitaker, D-Fayetteville. “The people who are calling me say at least get started… I urge you not to let the perfect be the enemy of the good.”

“I’m not sure whether we’re helping or hurting but I’m going to support it because I know we need to do something,” said Rep. Mike Holcomb, R-Pine Bluff.

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Joshua Harris tackles “American Ninja Warrior” and Arkansas health problems

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Joshua Harris tackles “American Ninja Warrior” and Arkansas health problems


Most people can barely conquer the monkey bars at a playground, but Joshua Harris is out here tackling American Ninja Warrior obstacles and using that spotlight to help Arkansans eat healthier.

Harris recently competed on American Ninja Warrior for the second time, calling it “an incredible experience” and saying it’s fun to be part of a national show while taking on the obstacles.

Away from the course, Harris runs a nonprofit called Well Fed, which operates across Arkansas and provides healthy food for people struggling with diet-related illnesses. He said the goal is to improve health outcomes by helping people access healthier options.

“Well, Arkansas has a lot of bad statistics when it comes to health, and we need to find ways to help change those health outcomes,” Harris said. He added that healthy food, including fruits and vegetables, can help people dealing with diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and that the mission fits with his own lifestyle of training, exercise and staying healthy.

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Harris said his Ninja Warrior training and his nonprofit work connect in more ways than one. He described the Ninja Warrior community as full of like-minded people, and said the show embraced the story behind his work on food access in Arkansas.

He also said Well Fed runs food-as-medicine programs across Arkansas, working with health care to bring fruits and vegetables to people who need them. Harris said the aim is to make a measurable difference, including the possibility of seeing “type two diabetes reversed.”

As for what it’s like competing on TV, Harris said many viewers don’t realize the show is filmed overnight.

“When I’m doing Ninja Warrior on the TV show, a lot of people don’t realize that’s filmed at night, so it’s like three in the morning,” Harris said. He said he focuses on staying awake and locked in, with plenty of distractions from crowds and bright lights, but called the crew and community “amazing.”

Harris said his episode is coming up soon and he hopes people will watch and cheer him on.

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And he’s not slowing down after that. Harris said he plans to keep training and will head to Ireland in August for the OCR (obstacle course racing) world championship, where he’ll represent Team USA.



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Tulsa downs Northwest Arkansas | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

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Tulsa downs Northwest Arkansas | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette


SPRINGDALE — Tulsa scored two runs in the first INNING and four more in the second to grab an early lead en route to a 9-1 win over Northwest Arkansas on Friday night in front of 4,076 fans at Arvest Ballpark.

The Drillers (44-23) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on Chris Newell’s two-out, RBI-single and a bases-loaded walk by Kole Myers. Tulsa snapped a two-game skid.

Naturals manager Brooks Conrad just gave credit to the Drillers for a strong effort.

“You’ve got to tip your cap to the opposing pitching staff,” Conrad said. “They threw great. We had one run in the first, then they blanked us the rest of the game. It wasn’t our lack of effort or lack of preparation. It was just one of those games where we couldn’t get anything going offensively.

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“I think the bright spot was our defense. (Carson) Roccaforte continues to do well. It’s a point now that I see him night in and night out, and it’s to the point I see him every night and it’s just another good night.”

Tulsa, which took advantage of 11 walks by Naturals pitching to go with 12 hits, has already wrapped up the Texas League North Division first-half title. The half ends on Sunday.

Myers added a two-run single in the second, while Zyhir Hope chipped in a run-scoring single and Jake Gelof drew a bases-loaded walk to push the lead to 6-1.

Myers drove in three runs, while center fielder Mike Sirotka finished with three hits, scored a run and drove in one.

Naturals starter Hunter Owens (1-3) allowed six runs on seven hits over two innings of work to absorb the loss. He struck out one and walked four.

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Northwest Arkansas (29-36) got a run in the bottom of the first thanks to a two-out RBI single by shortstop Daniel Vazquez. But the Naturals had a runner thrown out at the plate when Rudy Martin Jr. tried to score from first on Colton Becker’s double.

Despite the back-to-back losses, the Drillers improved to 12-4 in June.

Drillers manager Eric Wedge declined to comment following the game.

Prior to joining the Drillers last year, he had previously spent ten seasons managing at the major league level, including seven years with the Cleveland Indians and three with the Seattle Mariners. His most successful season came in 2007, when he was named the American League Manager of the Year after finishing just one game shy of leading Cleveland to the World Series.

The same two teams continue the series on Saturday evening. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. The series concludes on Sunday afternoon at 2:05.

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Naturals 6, Drillers 5 (10 innings)

Martin singled up the middle to drive in the winning run and help Northwest Arkansas outlast Tulsa 6-5 in 10 innings in a game that started an hour late because of a rain delay on Thursday night.

Spencer Nivens started the 10th inning at second base, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Vazquez and scored on Martin’s hit.

Northwest Arkansas rallied from an early 4-0 deficit to claim the win. The Drillers scored four times in the top of the second, but the Naturals got three back in the fourth and tied the game on Colton Becker’s RBI triple.

Tulsa bounced right back with a run in the top of the seventh, but again Northwest Arkansas bounced back to tie the game in the eighth. Martin reached on an error and scored on a wild pitch.

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Martin and Vazquez had two hits each. They drove in a run each. Martin scored twice.

Augusto Mendieta (2-2) picked up the win in relief. He tossed two hitless innings of relief, struck out five and walked one.



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Authorities report 2 Tulsa residents found dead in Arkansas from apparent murder-suicide

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Authorities report 2 Tulsa residents found dead in Arkansas from apparent murder-suicide


BENTON COUNTY, Ark. — The Benton County Sheriff’s Office reported two Tulsa residents were found dead in a car parked off an Arkansas highway in what authorities believe is an apparent murder-suicide.

On Wednesday, deputies with the sheriff’s office stated they received a report about a car parked of Old Highway 68 near Siloam Springs with what appeared to be two deceased people inside.

Once authorities reached the scene, they were able to confirm both individuals had passed away.

Following an investigation, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office said they confirmed the individuals in the car were 26-year-old Kena Donshaie Knapper and 5-year-old Tyler Zane Winston from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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According to the Arkansas State Medical Examiner, Winston’s death was ruled as a homicide while Knapper’s death was ruled a suicide.

At this time, the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory is still completing the final written report in this case.

FOX23 will provide more information in this case as it becomes available.



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