BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI
North Country This Week

MASSENA - Massena Town Board members agreed unanimously to extend the moratorium on cryptocurrency mining until December 31, 2023.

The move came during the board’s July 19 meeting.

No comments were made during the public comment period against or in favor of the move.

The extension of the moratorium is another move by town officials to buy time while final regulations are worked out by Town Attorney Eric Gustafson.

The moratorium was first brought up in July 2018 after residents expressed concerns that regulations did not adequately address crypto operations within the town.

Town officials quickly took action soon after and have continued to extend the moratorium over the last few years.

State officials have also taken action, implementing a two-year statewide moratorium late last year. The moratorium in place at the state level is for proof-of-work cryptocurrency mining and seeks to address some of the environmental concerns that lead many to argue against such operations.

Many of the operations that have come through Massena are themselves proof-of-work operations that use a blockchain-based algorithm to mine for crypto currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.

In other action, board members opted to table a resolution that could have led to a potential moratorium on billboards in the town.

Town Supervisor Sue Bellor said board members wanted to take more time to gather further details and to solicit public feedback before considering a moratorium.

Board members also held a second public hearing regarding the district formation for the Massena water district project.

That water district would cover part of State Highway 37 and would cover the entirety of County Route 46 in the Town of Massena, Board Member Francis Carvel said.

Anyone with the district would be required to pay for the debt retirement of the project but is not obligated to participate in the service or offer an easement for lateral service, officials say.