HB 1210 — An Act providing for reporting requirements for qualifying crypto-asset mining operations and for an impact study; and imposing duties on the Department of Environmental Protection.

PRINTER'S NO.     1358

                    THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        HOUSE BILL
                        No. 1210
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY VITALI, GIRAL, PIELLI, RIVERA, HILL-EVANS,
        FREEMAN, PROBST, HOHENSTEIN, SANCHEZ, HOWARD, D. WILLIAMS,
        STEELE AND K.HARRIS, APRIL 15, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE
        PROTECTION, APRIL 15, 2025


                                     AN ACT
 1   Providing for reporting requirements for qualifying crypto-asset
 2      mining operations and for an impact study; and imposing
 3      duties on the Department of Environmental Protection.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6   Section 1.    Short title.
 7      This act shall be known and may be cited as the
 8   Cryptocurrency Reporting Act.
 9   Section 2.    Definitions.
10      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12   context clearly indicates otherwise:
13      "Blockchain."    A distributed ledger technology in which the
14   data:
15           (1)   is shared across a network that creates a digital
16      ledger of verified transactions or information among network
17      participants; and
 1            (2)   is typically linked using cryptography to maintain
 2      the integrity of the ledger and execute other functions,
 3      including transfer of ownership or value.
 4      "Consensus mechanism."     A process to achieve agreement among
 5   network participants on the current state of a blockchain.
 6      "Crypto-asset mining."     The process of performing
 7   computations to add a valid block of data to a blockchain,
 8   typically in exchange for a reward or fee using a proof of work
 9   consensus mechanism and excluding computations required to
10   validate individual transactions.
11      "Department."     The Department of Environmental Protection of
12   the Commonwealth.
13      "Environmental justice area."            A geographic area that is
14   identified or designated by the department and characterized by
15   increased pollution burden and vulnerable populations based on
16   demographic, economic, health and environmental data.
17      "Power load."     The amount of electrical power, in megawatts,
18   that is consumed by a qualifying crypto-asset mining operation.
19      "Qualifying crypto-asset mining operation."            A crypto-asset
20   mining operation located in this Commonwealth at:
21            (1)   one location that has a power load greater than or
22      equal to five megawatts;
23            (2)   more than one location that has a cumulative power
24      load that is greater than or equal to five megawatts; or
25            (3)   a natural gas well site.
26   Section 3.     Reporting requirements for qualifying crypto-asset
27                  mining operations.
28      (a)   Initial reporting.--No later than six months after the
29   effective date of this subsection, the owner of a qualifying
30   crypto-asset mining operation shall submit the following

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 1   information to the department on a form prescribed by the
 2   department:
 3            (1)   The number and geographic locations of the
 4      qualifying crypto-asset mining operation.
 5            (2)   The number and type of devices engaged in crypto-
 6      asset mining purchased and retired by the qualifying crypto-
 7      asset mining operation in the past year.
 8            (3)   The amount of electric energy consumed by the
 9      qualifying crypto-asset mining operation, including the time
10      of electricity usage.
11            (4)   The source or sources of electric generation for all
12      electric energy consumed by the qualifying crypto-asset
13      mining operation, including the type of fuel used by the
14      electric generating facility.
15            (5)   Any other information deemed necessary by the
16      department.
17      (b)   Ongoing reporting.--Prior to starting operations in this
18   Commonwealth and annually while operations continue, a
19   qualifying crypto-asset mining operation shall submit the
20   information required under subsection (a) to the department.
21      (c)   Form and publication of operation.--The department shall
22   prepare a form that includes all of the information required
23   under subsections (a) and (b) and shall post the information
24   submitted to the department under this section on the
25   department's publicly accessible Internet website.
26   Section 4.     Impact study by department.
27      (a)   Duty to issue.--No later than one year after the
28   effective date of this subsection, the department, in
29   consultation with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission,
30   shall conduct a study of and issue a report on all of the

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 1   following:
 2            (1)   The number and location of any existing or planned
 3      qualifying crypto-asset mining operations, including any
 4      operations located in an environmental justice area.
 5            (2)   The anticipated increase of new, and expansion of
 6      existing, qualifying crypto-asset mining operations.
 7            (3)   The potential impacts of electric energy consumption
 8      by qualifying crypto-asset mining operations, including by
 9      prolonging the use of fossil fuel generators.
10            (4)   The ecological impacts, including ecological impacts
11      associated with electronic waste generation and the use or
12      discharge of cooling water, caused by qualifying crypto-asset
13      mining operations.
14            (5)   The amount of electric energy consumed by each
15      qualifying crypto-asset mining operation, including the time
16      of use of electricity and the potential grid stress posed by
17      the power load of the qualifying crypto-asset mining
18      operation.
19            (6)   The source of electric energy consumed by each
20      qualifying crypto-asset mining operation.
21            (7)   An analysis of demand-response programs negotiated
22      between qualifying crypto-asset mining operations and
23      electric utilities.
24            (8)   An analysis of potential rate-design measures that
25      could be implemented by State and local regulators to reduce
26      the energy consumption and dependence on fossil fuel energy
27      sources of qualifying crypto-asset mining operations.
28      (b)   Report submission.--The department shall submit the
29   report required under subsection (a) to the following no later
30   than one year after the effective date of this subsection:

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 1            (1)   The Governor.
 2            (2)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
 3      Environmental Resources and Energy Committee of the Senate.
 4            (3)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
 5      Environmental and Natural Resource Protection Committee of
 6      the House of Representatives.
 7            (4)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
 8      Energy Committee of the House of Representatives.
 9      (c)   Publication.--The department shall publish the report
10   required under subsection (a) on the department's publicly
11   accessible Internet website.
12   Section 5.     Effective date.
13      This act shall take effect immediately.




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