Missoula County, located in the US state of Montana, has decided to look for new regulations regarding mining cryptocurrency rather than trying to ban activities completely. As previously reported, miners have been drawn to the area thanks to access to cheap electricity, but local concerns about a surge in power levels and noise levels have prompted some residents to request a moratorium. Many of the latest comments posted online include calls for a moratorium on mining access, citing the prevalence of fan voices and electricity-hungry operations. Now, according to a message posted to the official website for Missoula County after the September 27 meeting, the District Commission staff has begun to develop specific rules for miners. On September 27, 2018, the County Board of Commissioners continued a public hearing on cryptocurrency mining which began on June 14. On the continuation of the session on September 27, after staff reports and public comments, the Commissioners chose not to adopt interim zoning, and instead directed staff to investigate the development of regulations that targeted the impact of concerns such as noise, electronic waste and energy. According to Missoulian, some of those present at the September 27 meeting pushed for a one-year moratorium, while legal representation for one mining company challenged the ability of local officials to take this step.
