Canadian Elementary School Sues Cryptocurrency Miner Over Noise That 'Never Stops'
Lake Superior Academy, a Canadian elementary school, has filed a lawsuit against a cryptocurrency mining facility, citing noise concerns. The sounds coming from the mining facility, located on the Mackinac Trail seven miles south of Sault Ste. Marie, are said to be a high-pitched metallic hum, reminiscent of the buzzing of mechanical insects.
Principal Susie Schlehuber said noise levels were recorded earlier this year at the edge of the school grounds on the other side of the road at 75 decibels, equivalent to the sound of a vacuum cleaner.
She noted that at the entrance to the school the noise was about 65 decibels, like a washing machine. However, the annoying metallic whistle became noticeable back in March.
Canadian Elementary School Files Lawsuit Against Cryptocurrency Miner
The lawsuit filed by the school says the noise was reduced slightly by placing hay bales on the property, but despite a court order to temporarily stop the work for two weeks, the noise has not stopped.
“It's 24/7. It never stops,” Schlehuber said, adding that she founded the school with an environmental focus, which means students often spend time outside, away from the classroom.
Schlehuber stressed that the noise was more noticeable precisely because of this practice. “Because of this, we felt the noise even more than if the students were in classrooms with closed doors,” she said. The principal claims that they had to stop classes on the lawn in front of the school, close the windows and stop the construction of two new classrooms.
The cryptocurrency mining company in question consists of a group of six autonomous units owned by Odessa Partners LLC of Boca Raton, Florida. According to documents provided by the company’s lawyers, it includes two other legal entities: Wyoming Partners Irrevocably Statutory Trust, registered in Cheyenne, and Valletta Corp, LLC, registered in Delaware.
Both of these businesses are linked to Florida native Michael Carbonara. Carbonara is the CEO of Ibanera, a fintech and cross-border payments company, according to its website. Carbonara has also applied for a permit to build a mining facility. Carbonara and Odessa Partners have not yet commented on the lawsuit.
The last time the two companies spoke was after Chippewa County Judge James Lambros ordered a temporary halt to operations. Odessa Partners filed a complaint, claiming it was losing about $15,000 a day and was already taking steps to reduce noise levels, including placing hay bales in front of the equipment.
The motion also noted that the school site is located along Interstate 75 and argued that “the noise that plaintiff alleges to be emanating from defendant's property is presumably less than that typically generated by uses and activities occurring on the other side of plaintiff's property.”
However, Schlehuber refuted this claim, saying: “There is a huge difference between a loud truck passing several times a day and constant noise.”
She also said she had been trying to engage with Odessa Partners on the issue since March, but had seen no improvement. “We realized we needed to do more than just talk to them,” she added.
According to the CEO of OOM Technologies, which operates a computer hosting facility near Odessa Partners, the area is ideal for miners due to the availability of resources. He also added that the cold weather is one of the reasons, noting that “the most effective way to cool is natural air flow.”
Source: cryptonews.net
