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Sound complaint lawsuit against Arkansas crypto mine company continues

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2 years ago

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Sound complaint lawsuit against Arkansas crypto mine company continues


Several Arkansans who live near a cryptocurrency mines are suing to stop the noise.

Crypto mines are large groups of computers designed to harvest cryptocurrency. They typically take up a full plot of land the length of a house. The noise from fans needed to keep the computers cool can be quite loud, emitting a constant high-pitched humming sound, audible from several blocks away.

Members of the Bono community of Greenbrier and Damascus are suing Newrays One LLC, one of many companies operating crypto mines in Arkansas. Residents seek punitive damages and are asking the company to stop mining in their community. The lawsuit alleges they are breaking sound laws and behaving negligently by not showing concern for their neighbors.

In a complaint, the plaintiffs say they can hear a loud “whining” noise from their houses, making it difficult to sleep, go outside and enjoy everyday life. Plaintiffs say the sound ranges from 60 to 70 decibels, the noise level of normal conversation. Plaintiffs say the mines are on 24 hours a day, every day.

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The Bono mine is nestled across from a church and down the street from a rural neighborhood. Gladys Anderson lives in the lot on the right of the mine. She has an autistic son and a mother. She says the noise is unbearable.

“I cannot hear vehicles pulling into my driveway,” she said in her affidavit. “I cannot hear the kids when they are out of my sight. The birds have stopped coming for food in the back yard, and the deer have stopped coming into the yard.”

Anderson says she’s needed to go to the doctor several times to mitigate the effects of the stress the mines have caused her, which she says include high blood pressure and ear issues. She kept a log of the decibel readings on the mine, which at times reached volumes of 70 to 90 decibels, about the sound level of a hairdryer.

Anderson is joined in the suit by more than 20 other plaintiffs who live near the mine on the adjacent Slatey Gap Road in Damascus.

One resident, Shane Markuson, is a cattle farmer. He says, from every room in his house, he can hear the ringing noise.

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Like Anderson, he says the noises have caused him to experience high blood pressure. Moreover, he was upset with the way the crypto mine was affecting his ability to be comfortable as a livestock farmer.

“I can no longer enjoy sitting on my porch, watching the cattle graze and hear their soft moos,” Markuson said. “You cannot hear their moos at all. I did not sign up for any of this noise crap.”

Many of the residents shared a similar feeling of not being able to go outside after the mines were installed. They often ascribed new medical ailments to the noise of mines, as well as finding their property to be void of any resale value.

Mickey McMillen says he has lived on the same land for 100 years. After 35 years working in a freight job, he retired and spends his time farming and gardening.

“Now every morning when I walk out to feed the cattle and work the garden, I am met with the same piercing noise,” he said. “It is a constant annoyance that makes it impossible for me to enjoy the life I worked so hard for.”

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The mines put up a partial sound barrier, which residents say help slightly, but doesn’t silence the noise from the fans. Scott and Laveane Lovelady say there is little they can do to stiffen the noise. “The noise can be heard when the TVs are off and no fans are running,” they said in their statement, describing it as a squealing sound.

Newrays One LLC have not responded to the specific allegations in the complaint. The defense is trying to dismiss the case on procedural grounds. A statement from their lawyer Alexander Jones said: “The 23 plaintiffs have not met the requirements of both Arkansas and federal law in bringing their claims. And the plaintiffs have not identified any court case that has ever granted the sort of relief they are asking for.”

Meanwhile, plaintiffs are asking for a jury trial. The next court date is Friday, January 5.

A statewide controversy

Crypto mines have become more common after Act 851 was passed in the state legislature. The law essentially deregulates the mines, barring the state from treating them differently from other businesses. It was passed quickly in the Arkansas Legislature with almost no pushback or discussion.

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Since then, mines have been popping up across the state with several in Northwest Arkansas and one in Dewitt. Construction on a planned crypto mine in Vilonia was halted after local public backlash. Some municipalities are passing noise ordinances to prevent them from being built. State Sen. Bryan King, R-Green Forest, has called for a special session to overturn the Act 851.

Arkansas Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward has asked Attorney General Tim Griffin to investigate the mines. He says that many of the crypto mine companies have “significant ties to China” and therefore violate state laws.

In 2023, the legislature passed Act 636. It prevents “foreign party-controlled businesses” from investing in Arkansas land. The law prompted Griffin to ask other companies with ties to China to divest their land holdings in the state.



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Arkansas

Congressional subcommittee to hold hearing in Little Rock on ‘failures’ of local housing authority | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

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7 hours ago

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March 10, 2026

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Congressional subcommittee to hold hearing in Little Rock on ‘failures’ of local housing authority | Arkansas Democrat Gazette


Joseph Flaherty

jflaherty@adgnewsroom.com

Joseph Flaherty covers the city of Little Rock for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. A graduate of Middlebury College and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, he has worked for the newspaper since 2020.

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11 people arrested in connection with various charges in Northwest Arkansas | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

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19 hours ago

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March 10, 2026

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11 people arrested in connection with various charges in Northwest Arkansas | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette


Arrests

Benton County Sheriff’s Office

Scott Minor, 45, of Elm Street in Jefferson City, Mo., was arrested Friday on suspicion of computer child pornography and sexually grooming a child. Minor was being held Monday in the Benton County Jail with a $150,000 bond set.

Bentonville

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Damond Drake, 52, of West Highland Drive in Rogers was arrested Saturday on suspicion of delivery of methamphetamine or cocaine. Drake was being held Monday in the Benton County Jail with no bond set.

Fayetteville

Cornelius Anderson, 33, of Dawn Street in Fayetteville was arrested Saturday on suspicion of third-degree assault on a family member, third-degree domestic battery, first-degree criminal mischief and theft of property. Anderson remained at the Washington County Detention Center Monday in lieu of $5,000 bond.

Eduard Korshakov, 37, of Prairie Dunes Trail in Fayetteville was arrested Saturday on suspicion of aggravated assault on a family or household member, kidnapping, first-degree false imprisonment, third-degree domestic battery and interference with emergency communications. Korshakov remained at the Washington County Detention Center Monday in lieu of $25,000 bond.

Efrain Quiroz, 29, of North Shamblin Avenue in Fayetteville was arrested Sunday on suspicion of second-degree battery and second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor. Quiroz remained at the Washington County Detention Center Monday in lieu of $25,000 bond.

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Leo Ward, 21, of West Tanner Drive in Fayetteville was arrested Sunday on suspicion of aggravated residential burglary and stalking. Ward was released from the Washington County Detention Center Monday on $25,000 bond.

Rogers

John Jenkins, 21, of Arkansas 351 in Jonesboro was arrested Saturday on suspicion of fraudulent use of credit/debit card. Jenkins was being held Monday in the Benton County Jail with no bond set.

Springdale

Ashlyn Neal, 19, of Powell Street in Springdale was arrested Saturday on suspicion of kidnapping, second-degree battery, endangering the welfare of a minor, resisting arrest and obstruction of government operations. Neal was released from the Washington County Detention Center Saturday on $5,000 bond.

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Jose Neal, 37, of South Powell Street in Springdale was arrested Saturday on suspicion of second-degree domestic battery, third-degree domestic battery, interference with emergency communications and resisting arrest. Neal was released from the Washington County Detention Center Saturday on $5,000 bond.

Skyler Shane, 31, of Highway 62 in Westville, Ok., was arrested Sunday on suspicion of Possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance with intent to deliver, simultaneous possession of drugs and a firearm, carrying a prohibited weapon and disorderly conduct. Shane was released from the Washington County Detention Center Sunday on $3,500 bond.

University of Arkansas Police Department

Celso Adame-Gallegos, 19 of Jade Street in Springdale was arrested Friday on suspicion of possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance with intent to deliver. Adame-Gallegos was released from the Washington County Detention Center Saturday on $5,000 bond.

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Erika Kirk to Join Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders for Announcement at Arkansas State Capitol

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1 day ago

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March 9, 2026

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Erika Kirk to Join Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders for Announcement at Arkansas State Capitol


LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — Arkansas leaders are set to take the stage at the State Capitol Wednesday afternoon for an announcement already drawing statewide attention.

At 1 p.m., Sarah Huckabee Sanders will appear alongside Erika Kirk, the chairwoman and CEO of Turning Point USA, at the Arkansas State Capitol.

While officials with the governor’s office have not yet released details about the announcement, the joint appearance is expected to draw significant attention from political leaders and supporters across the state.

The moment also brings renewed focus to the legacy of Erika Kirk’s late husband, Charlie Kirk, a nationally recognized conservative activist who built one of the country’s largest student political organizations aimed at mobilizing young voters on college campuses.

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In 2025, Kirk was fatally shot during a campus event at Utah Valley University. Authorities say the gunfire erupted during a gathering connected to student political programming, sending attendees scrambling for safety.

Kirk was rushed from the scene but later died from his injuries, sparking shock and an outpouring of reaction from political leaders, students, and supporters across the country.

In the weeks that followed, memorials and tributes appeared nationwide. In Arkansas, supporters and lawmakers honored Kirk’s life and work with a memorial exhibit displayed inside the Arkansas State Capitol, recognizing the influence he had on conservative youth activism and campus politics.

Following his death, Erika Kirk stepped into a leadership role at Turning Point USA, pledging to continue the organization’s mission and expand its outreach to students across the nation.

On Wednesday, Kirk will again be at the Arkansas State Capitol, this time standing beside Governor Sanders for a joint announcement, as leaders gather and the state waits to learn what the two will unveil.

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