Hawkins County Commissioners in Tennessee voted 12-0 to approve a ban on the establishment, construction, installation, expansion, and operation of crypto mining facilities and data centers in the county’s unincorporated areas, according to ChainCatcher. The move adds to earlier local action aimed at blocking mining activity tied to digital asset company ExoticRidge. The commission had passed a similar ban in September 2025 and then approved a resolution in January confirming its authority on the matter. In the same month, ExoticRidge and Hawkins County officials put forward a settlement proposal that would have allowed the company to build and run a facility under noise limits. The proposed terms said A-weighted noise measured at the property boundary could not exceed 80 decibels for more than 30 minutes within any four-hour period. Separately, the report noted that a Tennessee law signed in April made the use and installation of cryptocurrency ATMs and kiosks illegal starting July 1, with the restrictions tied to incidents in which residents used the machines to transfer money to scammers.
Hawkins County Commissioners in Tennessee approved a ban by a 12-0 vote, barring the establishment, construction, installation, expansion, and operation of crypto mining facilities and data centers in the county’s unincorporated areas, according to ChainCatcher.
County had already taken similar action
The commission had passed a similar ban in September 2025 to stop digital asset company ExoticRidge from pursuing mining operations in the area. In January, it adopted a resolution confirming its related authority.
Settlement proposal included a noise cap
ExoticRidge and Hawkins County officials proposed a settlement in January that would have allowed the company to build and operate a facility subject to noise restrictions. Under the proposed terms, A-weighted sound at the property boundary could not exceed 80 decibels for more than 30 minutes within any four-hour period.
State law also imposed restrictions in April
The report also said a law signed in Tennessee in April made the use and installation of cryptocurrency ATMs and kiosks illegal starting July 1. The restrictions were tied to incidents involving residents transferring money to scammers through the devices.
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