Timeline set for studying cryptocurrency impacts

MOSES LAKE — A timeline was set for officials in Moses Lake to follow as the city analyzes the impacts of cryptocurrency mining operations in the city.

The Moses Lake City Council previously passed a 12-month moratorium, temporary prohibition, that prohibits all new cryptocurrency mining operations, as well as data centers and server farms/clusters, going into all zones in the city. The city says all current cryptocurrency operations that are properly permitted are not impacted by the moratorium and can continue to operate. The council passed the moratorium to give city staff time to study cryptocurrency mining impacts on the electrical power distribution system, land use development patterns/distribution and state and local licensing rules.

During Tuesday night’s council meeting council members passed a “work program” (timeline), in accordance with state law, of what will be done by the city over the course of the 12-month moratorium.

“It provides simply a timeline and action review,” Community Development Director Gilbert Alvarado explained Tuesday night. “Timelines are generous because we can’t anticipate how long it will take in front of the (Planning) Commission...I don’t know. How long will it take in terms of review with you...I don’t know.”

The work program is as follows:

June 2018 through August 2018: Coordinate with the Grant County PUD to identify potential issues.

September 2018 through November 2018: Initiate public participation to assist with zoning code and policy development.

December 2018 through February 2019: Develop final draft zoning code amendments and conduct a public hearing.

March 2019: Review the recommendation from the city’s Planning Commission.

April 2019 through June 2019: City council, executive staff and legal council will review the planning recommendation.

Council member Ryann Leonard has been a vocal voice on the council against the moratorium and reiterated her previous sentiments from past council meetings on Tuesday.

“I think by us continuing to have the moratorium what we are doing is we are working the city out of potential business coming into this community and we are working the city out of ever being involved in this business by taking a year to study this,” Leonard remarked. “I would actually like to see us work with the PUD, but I would like to see us repeal the moratorium and I would like to see us work with the PUD on the issue so that businesses will still look at us as a potential viable option as the PUD works through this process.”

Grant County PUD commissioners have delayed a decision on the new rate class concerning cryptocurrency operations in order to give the PUD additional time to find options for existing customers, according to a previous Columbia Basin Herald report.

Mayor Karen Liebrecht and council members Daryl Jackson, Mike Riggs and Dean Hankins voted in favor of accepting the work program. Leonard and council member David Curnel voted against it.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.