- The plaintiffs claim that the Emergency Information Collection from various TBC members, including Riot Platforms, by the EIA is “unlawful.”
- Mines and TBC seek a temporary injunction and a restraining order prohibiting the specified commercial crypto miners from providing data to the US DOE and EIA.
- The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the EIA’s urgent request for full energy consumption data from 82 Bitcoin mining operations.
Bitcoin miners and associations filed a lawsuit against the institutions against the Biden administration’s policy towards the crypto sector.
Bitcoin Miners and Associations Take Action in the US
Bitcoin miners and associations have taken action against the Biden administration’s policies towards the crypto sector by filing a lawsuit against three United States government agencies. This move follows the approval by energy agencies of data collection on energy consumption by crypto miners.
The Texas Blockchain Council (TBC) and Riot Platforms filed a declaratory judgment and injunctive relief lawsuit against the US Department of Energy, including the Energy Information Administration (EIA), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on February 22 in the Western District of Texas Federal Court.
The plaintiffs allege that the EIA’s urgent data collection from many TBC members, including Riot Platforms, is “unlawful.” They also claim that the EIA and OMB violate the Paperwork Reduction Act and its implementing regulations. Additionally, they argue that government agencies are acting arbitrarily and capriciously, violating laws like the Administrative Procedure Act.
“The lawsuit is about careless government process, manufactured and self-proclaimed urgency, and intrusive government data collection,” the statement notes.
Mines and TBC seek a temporary injunction and a restraining order prohibiting the specified commercial crypto miners from providing data to the US Department of Energy and EIA. Additionally, they want to revoke OMB’s approval for data collection and ban any data collection by the agencies without notification and comment.
Crypto Industry and Congress Members Criticize Biden Administration
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the EIA’s urgent request for full energy consumption data from 82 Bitcoin mining operations. OMB approved the request just two days after receiving it from the EIA on January 26, without an appropriate notice and comment period for miners.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer drew attention to the administration’s abuse by openly criticizing the Biden administration for its struggle against Bitcoin mining and the crypto industry, supporting the crypto industry.
Recently, Texas-based crypto company Lejilex and the Texas Crypto Freedom Alliance (CFAT) filed a lawsuit against the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) due to regulatory overreach.
