East Wenatchee Joins Area Cities Passing Blockchain, Bitcoin Zoning Ordinance

The cities of Leavenworth and East Wenatchee are the latest to pass zoning ordinances for bitcoin operators and other blockchain companies. North Central Washington has become a hot-spot for such crytopcurrency miners, largely thanks to cheap hydropower. As both the Chelan and Douglas PUDs assess the increasing number of applications from such businesses to locate here, the city ordinances prohibit unlicensed mining operations and regulate those with permits to sites zoned industrial.

The cities of Chelan and Wenatchee have already done so, as has the Chelan County board of commissioners. The Chelan PUD enacted a moratorium on taking any more blockchain applications.

At the East Wenatchee council meeting last Tuesday, members also stressed that bitcoin is just the start of what could be a much bigger industry for the city and the region.

Councilman Tim Detering joins Dan Langager in the KOHO studios to further explain.