The final agreement between the Texas Blockchain Council and Riot Platforms, Inc. has just been dropped. And the Energy Information Administration, which is a good agreement.
In short, EIA will voluntarily terminate the illegal EIA-862 collection action it initiated, and will commit to destroying all information it has received and may still receive under EIA-862. Furthermore, they will also cancel and withdraw the collection notice dated February 9, 2024, and replace it with a new notice.
This new Notice will operate for a full 60 days from the date of its issuance in the Federal Register, and EIA has also agreed to ensure that any comments received in the February 9 Notice will be incorporated and considered in the new Notice. notice.
So here's the idea: the government should go back to the well and do it right. They cannot use a political “emergency” as an excuse to hack this, and fortunately, the mining industry, through the quick and decisive action of the Texas Blockchain Council & Riot, prevented this apparent breach.
But the journey is not over yet, we will have to provide our feedback on the new data collection notice once it is released. And you can see that the battle is going to be more difficult, as anti-Bitcoin mining groups are already starting to enter the fray.
The Sierra Club attempted to file an amicus brief in the case. This brief, which has been recorded (although it was opposed as inappropriate and is now moot anyway), shows their arguments which they will likely detail in a file supporting the EIA's new data collection. These arguments are as weak as you might expect, but they will be there and they will need to be addressed and overcome.
Finally, as a nice bonus, the government will also reimburse the Texas Blockchain Council and Riot Platforms, Inc., $2,199.45 in court costs and attorney fees. Obviously this is not enough to cover expenses, but it is still a sweet surprise. But let's be clear, nothing in this agreement constitutes an “admission of liability or wrongdoing…” Certainly, and[s]“There's something rotten in the state of Denmark,” which can be smelled all the way in Waco, Texas.
This is a guest post by Colin Crossman. The opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.
