Hawkins County votes again to bar crypto mining and data centers in unincorporated areas

Second county ban

The Hawkins County Commission voted 12-0 on Monday to prohibit the establishment, construction, installation, expansion and operation of crypto mining facilities and data centers in those areas. It marks the county’s second ban tied to digital asset activity.

County officials had already adopted a similar prohibition in September 2025. That earlier move was part of an effort to prevent ExoticRidge, a mining company, from setting up operations in the county. In January, commissioners also passed a resolution affirming that the county had the authority to impose that restriction.

Dispute with ExoticRidge

The latest vote comes while the county is still dealing with litigation involving ExoticRidge. According to the report, the company and county officials proposed a settlement in January covering the planned mining facility.

Under the proposed terms, ExoticRidge would be allowed to build and operate its site, but with limits on noise. The draft settlement said the company could not operate at more than 80 A-weighted decibels, or dBA, at the property line for more than 30 minutes during any four-hour period.

The article did not say that the proposed settlement had been finalized. It described the agreement as a proposal made while the dispute over the company’s operations was ongoing.

Broader Tennessee restrictions

The Hawkins County measure is the latest action in Tennessee affecting crypto-linked businesses. State officials have also moved against another part of the sector: cryptocurrency ATMs and kiosks.

As of July 1, the use and installation of crypto ATMs and kiosks became illegal under a Tennessee law signed in April. The report said the state restriction followed cases in which residents, especially senior citizens, used the machines to send money to scammers.

Local pushback against mining operations has often centered on practical concerns such as siting and noise rather than broader questions about digital assets themselves. In Hawkins County, those issues appear to remain unresolved as officials continue to defend their authority while facing a dispute over a proposed mining site.