Hawkins County, Tennessee passes ban prohibiting cryptocurrency mining facilities and data center operations in unincorporated areas

ChainCatcher reports that Hawkins County Commissioners in Tennessee, USA, passed a ban with 12 votes in favor and 0 against, prohibiting the establishment, construction, installation, expansion, and operation of crypto mining facilities and data centers in the county's unincorporated areas.

The commission had previously passed a similar ban in September 2025 to prevent the digital asset company ExoticRidge from carrying out mining activities locally and confirmed its related authority with a resolution in January. In January, ExoticRidge and Hawkins County officials proposed a settlement allowing the company to construct and operate facilities under noise restrictions. The proposed terms require that A-weighted decibel noise at the property boundary must not exceed 80 decibels for more than 30 minutes in any 4-hour period.

A law signed in Tennessee in April mandates that, starting July 1, the use and installation of cryptocurrency ATMs and self-service terminals will be illegal, with the restrictions targeting incidents where residents use the devices to transfer funds to scammers.