Crypto-Asset Environmental Transparency Act of 2023
Crypto-Asset Environmental Transparency Act of 2023
This bill establishes greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reporting and related requirements for certain crypto-asset mining operations, such as facilities that mine Bitcoin.
The bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revise reporting requirements under the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program to require crypto-asset mining operations that consume five megawatts of electricity or more to report their greenhouse gas emissions to the EPA. The EPA must also designate such operations as a source category of GHG emissions that is subject to greenhouse gas reporting requirements and related monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements.
In addition, the EPA must request information from crypto-asset mining operations and assess the extent to which any operations are improperly operating without a valid and current permit under the Clean Air Act.
The bill also expands the meaning of data center under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to include facilities in which two or more computers are mining crypto-assets. Thus, such facilities are included in the scope of energy efficiency programs for data centers under that act.
Finally, the EPA must study the environmental impacts of crypto-asset mining.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials.