tl;dr
Nebraska lawmakers unanimously passed LB 526, a bill targeting large-scale crypto mining operations consuming one megawatt or more of electricity. The law would require these miners to fund infrastructure upgrades, report annual energy use publicly, and accept service interruptions during grid strai...
Nebraska lawmakers have unanimously passed LB 526, a bill that regulates large-scale crypto mining operations consuming one megawatt or more of electricity. The legislation requires these miners to share the costs of infrastructure upgrades, publicly report their annual energy usage, and accept possible electricity interruptions during times of grid strain. This bill aims to ensure that the growing energy demands of crypto mining are managed fairly without discrimination.
Public power suppliers, including municipal utilities and public power districts, will have the authority to conduct load studies and manage energy demands with broad discretion under the new law. Introduced by State Senator Mike Jacobson in January, LB 526 targets primary commercial mining operations rather than small-scale hobbyists.
The bill now awaits Governor Jim Pillen’s approval and would take effect on October 1 if signed. The governor has five legislative days to decide on the bill and may also allow it to become law without signature if no action is taken.
This move aligns with various regulatory trends seen in other states: Arizona recently passed legislation protecting home miners and blockchain node operators from local zoning restrictions, while Kentucky formalized protections for crypto users and clarified that mining and staking are not securities. President Donald Trump has also expressed support for increasing Bitcoin mining within the U.S. as a strategy for energy dominance and to counter Central Bank Digital Currency risks.
As Nebraska steps up its regulation of crypto mining, the state joins a broader national trend balancing the energy-intensive nature of mining operations with responsible grid management and public transparency.