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Updated: October 17, 2023 @ 2:49 pm
Corsicana, TX – Greenpeace USA will join Texans and activist groups for a week of action to combat Bitcoin’s exploitative and polluting practices. As the saying goes, everything is bigger in Texas – and that includes energy-hungry, water-wasting Bitcoin mines. Next year, Riot Platform is set to open the world’s largest Bitcoin mine in Corsicana, Texas, which would further strain Texas’s already stressed energy grid.
Bitcoin miners are increasingly drawn to Texas because of lenient regulations, affordable electricity, and the enhanced opportunities provided by The Electric Reliability Council of Texas’s (ERCOT) demand and reserve response programs. These programs pay crypto-miners andother industrial consumers for just promising to shut down if they are asked – and pay more if they comply – making Texas the Mecca for energy-guzzling crypto-miners who make millions from ERCOT’s demand-response programs. They play Texas’s deregulated energy market by selling electricity back to the grid at peak times – while Texans are told to conserve energy.
The rapid growth of Bitcoin mining is already straining Texas’s grid and raising electricity rates for Texas consumers and businesses. This electricity consumption is also a lifeline to the fossil fuel industry at a terrible time for global efforts to tackle climate change.
Politicians in Navarro County are actively trying to keep locals in the dark about what is going on in their backyard. Activists have tried to get their local elected officials to hold a Town Hall meeting on the Bitcoin mines, but they refused.
This week of action is a critical moment to demand better–for Texas’ communities and for our planet. The events are aimed at informing Navarro County residents about the Bitcoin mine
Riot Platforms is building in their community and the harm it will do to the area, including:
● Using massive amounts of electricity on an already strained grid;
● Using massive amounts of water, a much needed Texas resource;
● Raising electricity rates;
● Creating noise pollution; and
● Creating a lifeline for the fossil fuel industry.
It’s time for Texans to learn what’s really going on. The week of action will include a Town Hall hosted by Texas Coalition Against Crypto Mining; A Greenpeace USA action held outside of what will be the largest Bitcoin mine in the world; and a media day that will be a hybrid digital and onsite event – including a press conference at the MLK center to be broadcast in real-time with press in attendance.
Finally, we will close out the week with a celebration for anyone and everyone who showed up and supported the efforts these last 15 months.
Event Details:
What: A week of action against crypto mining in Texas.
Link to Week of Action Website: https://texas-coalition-against-cryptomining.mailchimpsites.com/weekofaction
Link to Facebook Event Page: https://facebook.com/events/s/tcac-week-of-action-texas-coal/675981841114321/?mibextid=RQdjqZ
10/23 Monday – Official Corsicana City Council Meetings
Who: The bimonthly city council meeting will be held both online and in person on this day. Jackie Sawicky, Founder of Texas Coalition Against Crypto Mining, will be in attendance and ask the council to respond to questions regarding the crypto mining in the City of Corsicana.
When: 6 p.m., Monday, Oct. 23
Where: 200 N. Twelfth St, Corsicana, TX 75110
Link: https://cityofcorsicana.com/258/City-Council
Who: The bimonthly county commissioner meeting will be held both online and in person on this day. Jackie Sawicky Founder of Texas Coalition Against Crypto Mining will be in attendance and ask the commissioner to respond to questions regarding the crypto mining in the City of Corsicana.
When: 10 a.m., Monday, Oct.23
Where: 300 W. Third Ave, Corsicana, TX 75110
Link to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@countyofnavarro-navarrocou3843
Link to Commissioners Court: https://www.co.navarro.tx.us/page/navarro.Commissioners.Court
10/24 Tuesday – Public Town Hall Meeting
Who: This event will be open to the public and media. It will address the issues that are facing local Texans around Bitcoin mining.
Speakers will include:
● Moderated by Kimberlee Walter – https://kimberlee4action.com
● Ed Hirs – https://uh.edu/uh-energy-innovation/uh-energy/about-uh-energy/faculty-engagement/energy-fellows/ed-hirs/index
● Adrian Shelley – https://www.citizen.org/about/person/adrian-shelley/
● Jackie Sawicky – Founder of Texas Coalition Against Cryptomining
When: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 24
Where: The Scene on Beaton
114 S Beaton St, Corsicana, TX 75110
6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Livestream Online: https://facebook.com/events/s/october-24-bitcoin-mine-public/961585745134938/?mibextid=RQdjqZ
10/25 Wednesday – Action at the Riot Platforms Site
Who: Activists, concerned citizens, and the media are invited to attend an action outside the Riot Platforms mining site. For more information on this event please email gsingh@greenpeace.org
When: TBD, Wednesday, Oct. 25
Where: Outside the Riot Platform Mine Site, 6980 FM 709 Corsicana TX 75110
Event Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/events/s/october-24-bitcoin-mine-public/961585745134938/?mibextid=RQdjqZ
10/26 Thursday – Day of Communications
Who: For the Day of communications on Thursday, we’ll be holding a press conference at the MLK Center. We will livestream and invite reporters and journalists to come. Folks at home and work are encouraged to call and email all of their elected reps to voice their concerns with crypto mining. If you are interested in attending please contact gsingh@greenpeace.org for more information and a link to the livestream.
When: Noon to 3 p.m., Thursday, October, 26
Where: MLK Center, 1114 E. Sixth Ave., Corsicana, TX 75110
Link to Facebook Event: https://facebook.com/events/s/october-26-press-conference-da/1250383618975481/?mibextid=RQdjqZ
10/27 Friday – Celebration of Community Action
Who: The party on Friday is for anyone and everyone who showed up and supported our efforts these last 15 months.
When: 6 p.m., Friday, Oct. 27
Where: Downtown Corsicana Pocket Park, 118 N. Beaton St., Corsicana, TX 75110
Link to Facebook Event: https://facebook.com/events/s/october-27-celebration-of-comm/305169302260750/?mibextid=RQdjqZ
RSVP: Please email gsingh@greenpeace.org to register.
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