The state Senate rejects a bill that would have prohibited mining activities within 30 miles of military facilities.
The Arkansas Senate Committee on City, County, and Local Affairs has voted down a proposed bill aimed at restricting Bitcoin mining operations near military installations. The decision was made with six votes against and one in favor.
The rejected bill would have imposed a total ban on mining activities within 30 miles of any military facility, including hospitals and military clinics. The proposal also included provisions for revoking previously granted licenses and contained an emergency clause for immediate enforcement, citing “potential risks to national and state security.”
Last May, the Biden administration blocked Mine One Partners Limited, a Chinese-majority-owned mining company, from acquiring property near a U.S. Air Force base in Wyoming, citing national security concerns.
The Arkansas decision could set a precedent for other U.S. states as they seek to balance the interests of the mining industry with national security needs.
