Environment
Environmentalists Rally Against Greenidge Expansion, State Lawmakers Take Notice
Ralliers outside of Greenidge Generation’s Gates on April 17th, 2021. (Jimmy Jordan/WRFI) ITHACA, NY — Environmental activists and concerned citizens rallied on Saturday, opposing Greenidge Generation’s expansion plans and gaining the attention of state lawmakers. Greenidge Generation is in the town of Torrey on Seneca Lake. The company operates a gas-fired power plant, mining bitcoin…
Read MoreCryptocurrency Mining, An Emerging and Unregulated Industry?
Greenidge Generation LLC is a natural gas power plant that’s mining cryptocurrency on an industrial scale, and Greenidge aims to expand its operations. The last round of government approval needed to give the greenlight to Greenidge’s expansion, is the Torrey Town Planning board. Torrey is a small, rural town in the heart of the Finger…
Read MoreSchuyler County Tables Vote on Cryptocurrency Mining Resolution, Crypto Operations Inquire into Watkins Glen
Cryptocurrency mining has become an issue of ongoing discussion in the Finger Lakes. On Monday night, the Schuyler County Legislature reviewed a resolution asking the DEC to develop regulations around cryptocurrency mining. But, they chose to table the vote until next month’s meeting Legislators said they felt like they needed more time to research cryptocurrency…
Read MoreGreenidge Generation, From Peaker Plant to Mining Bitcoin
Greenidge Generation LLC operates a natural gas power plant near the shore of Seneca Lake, that has evolved into a bitcoin mining operation. Greenidge’s parent company now boasts that it’s the first bitcoin mining operation with it’s own in-house energy supply being publicly traded on the stock market, but they have attracted the scrutiny of…
Read MoreTompkins Food Future: Development of a Food Systems Plan in Tompkins County
Katie Hallas, the Coordinator of the Community Food System Plan, discusses Tompkins Food Future. This project will create a local food system whereby sustainable, equitable healthy and affordable food is available for all members of our community. For more information, visit http://www.tompkinsfoodfuture.org (photo: Compost SDIM0891 by Stefan Szczelkun, courtesy of Creative Commons)
Read MoreHyper-Local Weather Forecasting System Could be a Boon to New York
Cornell University has begun work developing a hyperlocal weather forecasting system for New York state’s rural communities. They’ve partnered with community stakeholders to design and implement a forecasting system aimed at improving winter-storm emergency response and coordination around natural disasters. It’s a part of a competition hosted by the National Science Foundation, or NSF. For…
Read MoreCayuga Bird Club Members Participate in the 2021 Christmas Bird Count
Members of the local Cayuga Bird Club started out the New Year in an energetic and optimistic fashion by participating in a long-standing local tradition, the annual Christmas Bird count. This citizen science project is sponsored by Audubon. WRFI News Contributor Esther Racoosin speaks with Paul Anderson, past President of the Cayuga Bird Club, about…
Read MoreEnvironmental Groups Report that NYS Municipalities May Be Using Oil and Gas Liquid Waste For Road Deicing
Three environmental groups: NYPIRG, Earthworks and Food and Water Watch, have published an analysis showing that some municipalities in New York State have been granted permits to use liquid waste from gas and oil operations for deicing roads. Liz Moran, Environmental Policy Director for the New York Public Interest Research Group, or NYPIRG, discusses their…
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