The debate over the ecological footprint of cryptocurrencies is gaining momentum in the United States, with a new legislative proposal targeting Bitcoin miners. This text, called the *Clean Cloud Act*, aims to impose strict limits on carbon emissions from data centers—a category that includes infrastructure related to cryptocurrency mining.
**A stricter environmental framework in preparation**
Proposed by Democratic Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and John Fetterman, the *Clean Cloud Act* seeks to correct what they perceive as an imbalance between the profits garnered by tech companies and the environmental impacts of their activities. “These data centers could theoretically operate on clean energy, but they still predominantly consume fossil fuels and contribute to soaring energy prices,” they explain.
**Ambitious goals for emission reduction**
The proposal aims to set regional carbon emission caps for data centers, with a clear objective: an annual reduction of 11% in emissions, in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035. Offenders would face financial penalties, with no possibility of passing costs onto users or markets, which would particularly challenge crypto mining operators.
**American miners in uncertainty**
This tightening of regulations comes in an already tense context for Bitcoin miners, who are facing increasing pressure on their profitability. If the proposal is adopted, they will need to adapt their facilities to remain below the allowed emission thresholds, under threat of heavy fines. A difficult equation to solve, as their operations require ever-increasing energy capacities.
**A contrasting political direction**
The future of mining in the United States could thus hinge on this bill. A notable shift, especially considering that Donald Trump, during his presidency, had expressed the ambition to make the United States the world’s leading power in Bitcoin mining. Between economic ambitions and environmental imperatives, the balance remains fragile. To be closely monitored…