VENANGO COUNTY, PA — On Thursday, March 6, 2025, Scrubgrass Creek Watershed Association and PennFuture, represented by Earthjustice, reached a settlement agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Scrubgrass Reclamation Company to expedite the removal of Scrubgrass’ unpermitted coal ash pile near the Allegheny River. The cryptomining facility must remove the ash ‘mountain’ by September 2026 – over one year sooner than initially required. The settlement also requires Scrubgrass to implement various on-site measures to mitigate the damage caused by the hazardous coal ash and to report progress updates directly to the Creek Watershed Association and PennFuture.
Flagged as a permit violation DEP site inspection in 2022, the coal ash pile had surpassed the approved size, enveloping parts of the surrounding area. DEP granted Scrubgrass four years to remove the coal ash. However, in 2023, the Scrubgrass Creek Watershed Association and PennFuture appealed the original agreement, leading to this week’s settlement. As a result, the coal ash “mountain” will now be removed fourteen months ahead of schedule.
“Neighbors in Venango County have long worked for a solution to this dangerous ash pile that threatened our community. This settlement marks a step forward in both progress and accountability,” said Tom Thomas of the Scrubgrass Creek Watershed Association.
“The size of the toxic ash pile at the Scrubgrass cryptomining facility had turned waste coal into an even riskier form of pollution,” said Patrick McDonnell, President and CEO of PennFuture. “Coal ash cannot be allowed to pollute our water and air, and we are proud to be furthering the fight for Pennsylvanians’ right to a clean and healthy environment.”
“Coal ash has impacted Pennsylvania’s environment for decades,” said Charles McPhedran, Senior Attorney with Earthjustice. “Cleaning up this enormous ash pile is an important step to address this threat.”
Coal ash is the waste leftover from burned waste coal, containing a toxic mix of carcinogens, neurotoxins, and hazardous materials linked to health issues including cancer, heart and thyroid disease, reproductive failure, and neurological harm. The Scrubgrass Power Plant, owned by cryptocurrency mining company Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc., uses waste coal to fuel its operations, which results in large quantities of coal ash. According to recent reporting, Bitfarms, Ltd. will soon purchase Stronghold Digital Mining, the current owner of the Scrubgrass plant. Reportedly, Bitfarms plans to sharply increase power consumption at Scrubgrass.
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