CleanSpark Hires Planning Commissioner Amid Outcry Over Proposed Bitcoin Mine in Tennessee
A local planning commissioner who abstained from voting on CleanSpark’s proposed Bitcoin mine in Mountain City has disclosed that he recently joined the company as an employee.
At a packed and occasionally heated meeting on Friday, the Mountain City Planning Commission approved a zoning change for the proposed site at 178 Rainbow Road, reclassifying the 50-acre parcel from B3 to B4, according to local reports.
B4 zoning typically allows for more intensive infrastructure and higher power usage and is often reserved for areas near highways or industrial corridors. The site, located off Highway 421, is slated for a 30-megawatt Bitcoin mining facility developed by CleanSpark.
The meeting took an unexpected turn when Commissioner Jason Bryan announced that he had accepted a position with CleanSpark earlier this month.
“I became an employee of CleanSpark as of June 2,” Bryan said, prompting sharp reactions from the audience. He added that he would abstain from the vote and recuse himself from future deliberations on the matter.
His abstention did not affect the outcome. The zoning change passed with votes from Mayor Jerry Jordan, Commissioner Richard Walsh, and Commission Chair Karen Cunningham. Property owner Steve Brown also spoke in favor of the request.
Audience members reportedly expressed visible frustration at Bryan’s disclosure, raising concerns over a potential conflict of interest. CleanSpark’s proposal has encountered steady local opposition. Residents have cited concerns about noise, environmental impacts, and the project’s potential effect on quality of life and property values.
Despite the controversy, Mayor Jordan defended the development, likening it to past economic initiatives in the area. The town had previously approved funding for a site visit to one of CleanSpark’s existing facilities in Georgia.
While the planning commission’s approval marks a step forward, the project still requires two readings and a public hearing before the Mountain City Board of Mayor and Aldermen can grant final approval, according to the reports.
CleanSpark recently reported that it hit the milestone of 50 EH/s in deployed hashrate, becoming the second bitcoin mining operation to report such a capacity in North America.
