Northern Michigan for responsible devolopment

NMARD grew out of a local fight that showed us firsthand what can happen when a major development moves into a community without enough accountability.

It started with a small Bitcoin mining operation next to Lake Superior Academy in the Eastern Upper Peninsula. As we followed the story and got more involved, we saw a pattern of the company, Alpha Watt, failing to be a good neighbor.

The school and community raised concerns about noise and its impact on students. Promises were made to address those concerns, but deadlines kept getting pushed back and clear timelines were hard to come by. At one point, the company’s proposed solution to the noise was essentially to put up some hay bales as a permanent sound barrier.

As the community continued to push for answers, tensions grew. Community members were characterized as hostile, and the small school found itself facing legal pressure as it tried to advocate for its students and community.

Following this fight, it became clear that this wasn’t just about one Bitcoin mine. It was about whether Northern Michigan communities have the information, resources, and voice they need when these kinds of developments come to town.

Sign up below to get involved and help organize your local community. Whether that means going township to township to educate local elected officials, or working at the county level where countywide zoning is in place, we want to make sure our representatives understand what they’re signing up for when they make deals with these companies.

The more informed and organized our communities are, the better chance we have of making sure development is done responsibly and in the best interests of the people who live here.