Hawkins County, Tennessee Bans Cryptocurrency Mining Facilities in Unincorporated Areas

The Hawkins County Commissioners in Tennessee passed an ordinance with a vote of 12 in favor and 0 against, prohibiting the establishment, construction, installation, expansion, and operation of cryptocurrency mining facilities and data centers in unincorporated areas of the county. The commission had previously passed a similar ordinance in September 2025, preventing the digital asset company ExoticRidge from conducting mining operations locally, and confirmed the relevant authority in January. In January, ExoticRidge proposed a settlement with Hawkins County officials, allowing the company to build and operate facilities under noise restrictions. The proposed terms required that the A-weighted decibel noise at the property boundary not exceed 80 decibels for more than 30 minutes within any 4-hour period. A law signed in Tennessee in April stipulates that the use and installation of cryptocurrency ATMs and kiosks will be illegal starting July 1, targeting incidents where residents use devices to transfer money to scammers.