NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — A unanimous vote by North Tonawanda’s city council has restricted the use of nuclear energy for cryptocurrency mining, which is a move that residents said is a win for environmental protection and public health.
The decision came after months of debate over Digihost, a crypto-mining plant that had been exploring the possibility of using a small nuclear reactor to power its operations.
“The whole idea behind this is to make sure we are protecting our neighborhoods,” said City of North Tonawanda Mayor Austin Tylec.
North Tonawanda currently lacks zoning laws that address wind, hydro and nuclear energy, but this new legislation prohibits micro-nuclear energy facilities within city limits.
The law, which took a few months to craft together, is meant to give officials time to consider the long-term effects of such energy sources.
“This legislation really hits the brakes,” Mayor Tylec said. “For now, we just want to make sure we cover our bases and protect our neighbors.”
Community concerns over nuclear waste
Residents like Jack Kanack, who has a background in environmental science, have been vocal about their fears.
“My biggest issue with nuclear was that once it’s produced in a location, the way things are going with the federal government, it has to remain at that location,” Kanack said.
He pointed to the West Valley Demonstration Project in Cattaraugus County as an example. The facility, which processed nuclear waste in the 1960s, shut down in 1972. However, cleanup efforts have cost taxpayers more than $5 billion and remain ongoing, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.
“Years down the road, when the company is no longer around or whoever made the nuclear mess, the people are left to clean it up,” Kanack added. “Who is going to pay for that cleanup?”
Concerns beyond North Tonawanda
Mark Polito, a resident who lives near the Digihost facility, said the issue extends beyond city limits.
“Nobody wants nuclear power in their backyard,” he said. “Nobody. We don’t even want the noise that is still going on.”
Polito emphasized that pollution from such facilities affects surrounding communities as well.
“People have to be concerned about the air they are breathing,” he said. “Unless we control businesses that do things like this, we are all at risk, and it doesn’t matter if you live in North Tonawanda or anywhere else.”
Next steps for the city
As North Tonawanda moves forward, Mayor Tylec said the city has secured a $125,000 state grant to update zoning codes, ensuring regulations align with modern energy and environmental standards.