US Energy Information Administration Resolves Dispute Over Bitcoin Mining Survey Data

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) has reached a resolution with the Texas Blockchain Council regarding the collection of data from its emergency Bitcoin mining survey. Recent court filings confirm that all data collected will be discarded, and any subsequent information will be kept confidential until its destruction.

This decision marks the conclusion of a temporary restraining order that halted data collection amid ongoing legal proceedings. The EIA has committed to sequestering and maintaining the confidentiality of the information, as agreed upon with the Texas Blockchain Council.

As part of the settlement, the EIA will initiate a 60-day period to solicit public feedback in preparation for a new notice on data collection. This step demonstrates the agency’s willingness to consider public input before proceeding with any future data collection efforts.

Opposition from the Texas Blockchain Council suggests that the EIA’s survey is part of a broader governmental strategy to regulate the digital asset industry, characterizing it as an intrusion on private businesses.

The lawsuit filed in February by the Texas Blockchain Council and Riot Platforms alleged that the EIA’s mandatory survey violated the Paperwork Reduction Act by collecting unauthorized data from the cryptocurrency industry without due process. This legal action reflects concerns within the cryptocurrency sector about regulatory scrutiny, particularly regarding energy consumption.

In a separate development, Riot Platforms and CleanSpark have announced significant expansions. Riot Platforms has increased its Bitcoin mining capacity by adding 31,500 machines, while CleanSpark has completed the acquisition of three new facilities.

These strategic moves aim to improve operational efficiency ahead of the upcoming Bitcoin halving event, which will reduce mining rewards from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC. Analysts from Galaxy Digital have emphasized the importance of strategic investments to maintain competitiveness in the evolving market landscape amidst the potential impact of the halving on network hash rates.

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