A school in the Eastern Upper Peninsula in Michigan has shelved plans to build two new classrooms and enrol 40 new students due to persistent noise pollution from a nearby Bitcoin mining farm.

Staff and students at Lake Superior Academy, near Sault Ste. Marie in Dafter Township, say they can’t escape the noise from six containerized data centers that were built right across the street from the school in March of this year.

The disruption has been so great that the school has halted plans to expand its classrooms and bring in new students.

Superintendent Susie Schlehuber says the droning from the Bitcoin mining farm has drowned out the sounds of local wildlife, and prompted concerns about long-term health effects from being exposed to the constant noise.

“When we come out, you always hear the humming and the noise… The students often, daily, say 'when is this going to stop?'" said Superintendent Schlehuber.

Speaking to local news station WCMU, she added: "Our special needs students, some, will come out and cover their ears.”

Schlehuber said the noise reaches heights of 70-75 decibels, which, according to the National Council on Aging, is the level at which the risk of hearing loss begins, and is the equivalent of a nearby vacuum cleaner or washing machine.

The noise reportedly comes from the large fans that are required to keep the computers from overheating.

Attempts by the school to reach the owners of the company operating the mining farm have thus far been unsuccessful.

The site’s deed register lists Michael Carbonara as the owner of the property. Carbonara is the CEO of the fintech company, Ibanera. WCMU was unable to contact Carbonara to find out if he is operating the crypto rigs.

In May of this year, a Bahamas bank revealed it was chasing Ibanera for $20 million in what it claims are wrongfully withheld funds, as well as $33 million in damages.

The Cloverland Electric Cooperative, which supplies electricity in the area, released a statement noting that it has no say regarding the type of business it serves.

"Cloverland cannot choose whether to serve a business based on the nature of the business and cannot stop service even if the operation is offensive, noisy, smells bad, or is otherwise disagreeable for other members," stated the company.