Hawkins County Goes Crypto-Mining Cold Turkey — Again, Unanimously 🏚️

Hawkins County, Tennessee has banned crypto mining for the second time in roughly nine months, with commissioners voting 12-0 on Monday to prohibit the establishment, construction, installation, expansion and operation of crypto mining facilities and data centers in unincorporated areas of the county. The unanimous vote mirrors a similar prohibition the commission adopted in September 2025, which was aimed at blocking ExoticRidge mining company from setting up operations locally, and a January resolution affirming the body's authority to impose such restrictions.

The latest ban lands as ExoticRidge and Hawkins County officials pursue a proposed settlement filed in January over the company's facility plans. Under the terms, ExoticRidge would be allowed to construct and run its operation, provided it restricts noise to no more than 80 A-weighted decibels (dBA) at the property line "for more than 30 minutes during any four-hour period." The agreement has not been finalized.

The county-level action is part of a broader pattern of Tennessee officials tightening rules on digital asset companies operating in the state. On July 1, a Tennessee law signed in April took effect, making the use and installation of cryptocurrency ATMs and kiosks illegal. Lawmakers cited incidents in which residents, particularly senior citizens, used the machines to send funds to scammers as the impetus for the restriction.