Whiteville (USA) Authorities Impose Temporary Ban on Mining and Data Center Construction

The Whiteville city government in the US state of North Carolina has established a temporary moratorium on the construction of new data centers (DCs) and cryptocurrency mining. The ban took effect immediately on August 25, 2026.

Authorities have stated that the ban will expire in one year, on August 25, 2027, or earlier if the city council adopts amendments to existing land use regulations. Currently, Whiteville’s zoning legislation does not specify rules for regulating data centers and mining farms.

During the moratorium, authorities intend to study the impact of mining on local resources and “public health,” according to Whiteville Mayor Terry Mann. Local officials will need to calculate the amount of water required for cooling miners, as well as determine electricity consumption volumes and the load on city infrastructure.

City employees fear that uncontrolled mining could lead to high greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, pollution from diesel generators, excessive electronic waste, and significant noise pollution, which could adversely affect human health.

There are currently no active proposals for building data centers in Whiteville; however, the moratorium is being implemented as a preventive measure. Over the course of the year, city authorities also plan to adopt the experience of other North Carolina municipalities in regulating mining facilities.

According to last year’s data from CoinShares, Bitcoin mining in the US is becoming unprofitable due to rising electricity prices, a reduction in block rewards to 3.125 BTC, and an increase in Bitcoin network difficulty.