Neighbors push to shut down Delaware County bitcoin mining facility

HOPKINTON, Iowa (KCRG) - Neighbors near a bitcoin mining facility in rural Delaware County say noise from the operation has disrupted their lives, as the Delaware County Board of Supervisors considers whether to let the site continue operating.

Compass Mining runs the bitcoin mining facility just west of Hopkinton. The site was built on land zoned for agricultural use and would need to be rezoned for light industrial use to keep operating.

Neighbors describe noise from the facility

Randy Fitzgerald moved back to Iowa in 2016 after living in several cities around the country.

“For many years had a wonderful, peaceful life. The sound of the country were everything we could have imagined for,” Fitzgerald said.

Fitzgerald said that changed after the mining facility began operating.

“Ourselves and our neighbors woke up to what really sounded like a jet engine coming from the south of our property,” Fitzgerald said.

The fans that cool computers at the facility do not run at full bore constantly, now running loudly in the evenings and early mor

“I think this is an inappropriate used of the land so I think the first thing is it should have them shutdown,” Fitzgerald said.

County board weighs rezoning request