This is exactly my point. I've lived in rural areas for my entire life and this story triggered me. I've heard the complaints for years about outsourcing and losing our industrial jobs to China. These are valid issues for people in the U.S.. Many plants have closed. People lost their jobs. So many complain about it and for good reason. Then when new opportunities come in they want the government to stop it.

The concerns about sound are completely valid and a smart miner never would have let it become a valid issue, but a lot of this is just people complaining about something they do not understand. I'd argue that is also the miner's fault.

This story is a great example of what is wrong with government. The idea that you need special laws for mining operations is absurd. Its a data center that is loud. It uses a lot of power. There are many industrial operations that already have these effects. I don't see how you need anything special for a mining operation.

As mining operations grow these companies are going to have to do a better job of propagandizing the public. This right here is why lobbying happens. Its a sick system we have, the state. Our countrymen are programmed to say "there ought to be a law". While at the same time complaining about not being free. Its stupidity running wild.

Listened to the news report. Does seem like there are actually concerned citizens in this case. It also sounds like they are very under-informed about the impact for their community. You can hear it in their words. Sound really is the only valid concern I can see. That seems very solvable to me. Everything else sounds like nonsense. Water, electricity, and toxic ....

Water cracks me up. As someone from a drought ridden state Arkansas does not have water issues. If you bring in a mining op you are improving your energy situation, not making it worse. The power company now has a buyer of last resort. Toxic whatever... well I've never heard of a mining op having any toxic waste. If the do, I'm sure their county has laws that can be enforced.

Sounds like you have a small community that has been propagandized against mining by politicians and the media to me.

These reports are often incorrect about the feelings of locals. Seen this multiple times. That said, depending on how this company has interacted with the community I can see why they might be annoyed.