According to CoinDesk, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has initiated a provisional survey of electricity consumption data from cryptocurrency mining companies, sparking criticism from the community. The survey, which begins next week, will require identified commercial miners to provide details about their energy usage. The Office of Management and Budget authorized the survey on January 26 as an emergency data collection request.
EIA Administrator Joe DeCarolis stated that the agency plans to continue analyzing and writing about the energy implications of cryptocurrency mining activities in the United States. The focus will be on the evolution of energy demand for cryptocurrency mining, identifying geographic areas of high growth, and quantifying the sources of electricity used to meet mining demand. The survey has raised concerns and criticism from the mining community, with some participants urging miners to boycott it.
Marty Bent, a bitcoin advocate and director of mining firm Catherdra Bitcoin, expressed concerns about the EIA creating a detailed registry of mining operations in the U.S. and called the survey 'one of the more Orwellian things' he has seen from the administration. Crypto mining energy use has been a contentious issue between the industry and regulators, with lawmakers such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) calling for mandatory disclosure of energy consumption data by miners. The EIA survey has struck a nerve with the mining community, as it appears to be mandatory by federal law for commercial miners to respond, with potential fines for non-compliance.