Hawkins County in Tennessee approves ban on crypto mining facilities in unincorporated areas

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.