Comment on Inside the 'Nightmare' Health Crisis of a Texas Bitcoin Town
coffeetest@beehaw.org 4 months ago
Putting aside the crypto aspect, this is a simple story of a lack of zoning and government regulation. I am sure it sucks for those who live near these places but, the problem is why they were allowed to be built near residential areas at all. There will always be noisy or polluting industry but sensible planning puts these sorts of places away from where they will most harm people and disrupt their lives. And forces them to minimize the amount of noise and pollution they produce to start with.
This is just one example of so many for why we should want to put up with govt regulation. Trust me I know how annoying it can be but we’re doomed without it. Now that the Supreme Court has defanged our institutions i.e. the Chevron deference, you can expect a lot more of these sorts of problems and with less ability to fight it.
ninjaphysics@beehaw.org 3 months ago
There is a procedure in place for granting permits to industry like this in every state. In New York, for example, when a potential site is selected, the business must apply for the permit to build and goes through a process of reviewing environmental and human harms in the area based on their operations. They are also required to notify residents and hold public participation events to ensure residents can ask questions about the development. “Good neighbor laws” are sorely needed in Texas, but the state would never allow that cause there’s no money to be made in protecting the people and the planet.