The Board of Mayor and Aldermen in Mountain City, Tenn. decided on Tuesday to allocate $750 for the rental of two vans. These vehicles will be used to transport residents to a CleanSpark Bitcoin mining facility located in Georgia, offering a chance for a tour amidst public concern over the company’s plans to establish a similar operation in the town.

CleanSpark has been engaged in the development and operational planning of a cryptocurrency mining facility in Mountain City for several months. This Nevada-based company aims to set up their station on a 50-acre tract off Highway 421, close to Johnson County Community Hospital.

The townspeople have been vocal about their apprehensions regarding the proposed facility, particularly the potential noise pollution and other disadvantages they believe it might introduce. Bitcoin mining operations utilize high-powered computers to process the cryptocurrency, and the cooling fans for these machines can produce significant noise that may be audible from a considerable distance.

CleanSpark, however, said a newer cooling technology that submerges the computers in water would be used at the proposed facility in Johnson County, the same tech used at its Norcross, Georgia mine.

The company claims the cooling process is significantly less noisy.

This is why Mayor Jerry Jordan said he wants residents to visit the Georgia facility to see what he’s seen, as he has previously been shown around the Norcross operation.

He also previously told News Channel 11 that the power consumption that CleanSpark would be paying Mountain Electric for would be a good way to make up for the loss of Parkdale Mills. The town previously raised water and sewer rates, citing the plant’s closure.

The motion was originally outlined for the BMA to “consider for approval the appropriation of $5,000.00 to 110-41100-329 Legislative Other Operating Cost, from UFB to fund bus trip to Norcross, GA to tour CleanSpark facility,” according to Tuesday’s agenda.

That motion was amended after discussion amongst the BMA. The amended motion for the trip to Norcross now has a budget of $750 for two rental vans, rather than a coach bus. The amended motion passed, with four voting yes and Alderman Jason Bryan abstaining.

The trip to Norcross to tour CleanSpark’s Bitcoin mining facility will take place on June 16.