October 7, 2021

Seneca Lake Guardian

PO Box 333
Watkins Glen NY 14891
Attention: Yvonne Taylor

Dear Ms. Taylor:

As you know, on June 5, 2021, we sent you a 14-page letter outlining several false and misleading
statements made publicly by you about Greenidge and its operation.

For months prior to sending that correspondence, we responded respectfully to your consistent
disregard for the truth about Greenidge and the people who work at the facility. We shared operational
data in local newspapers, answered media inquiries driven by your intentionally misleading statements,
and published advertisements correcting the record at every possible turn. We respectfully requested in
our June letter that you review the facts provided -- and cease making false statements.

Unfortunately, you have elected to continue the same approach.

A recent -- but far from only -- example is attached and linked here. It is the message
disseminated by you and The Seneca Lake Guardian on August 31, 2021 via Facebook. As you can see,
you have signed the bottom of the document. Remarkably, the communication repeats many of the
same claims we advised you were materially false via our letter of June 5, 2021. As such, we have
provided once again here the truth behind each of these false statements.

Vigorous, honest debate over environmental issues is something to be applauded. Your

continuing effort, by contrast, to intentionally deceive the public by outright lying about our company’s
operation, its compliance with the law and the amazing people who work at our company is no longer
acceptable. Should it continue, we will explore pursuit of any and all legal remedies available to our
company.

Sincerely,

Dale Irwin
CEO
Greenidge Generation LLC

Greenidge Generation LLC

590 Plant Rd | Dresden, NY | 14441
Hey fracking infrastructure fighters!

With a new Governor at the helm, it’s critical we put fracking infrastructure issues on her radar.
Our weekly call-in efforts are more important than ever.
We’ve moved the call-in day to Tuesdays so we don’t have to conflict with Monday holidays anymore. But people
are still welcome to call all week! We will simply switch topics on Tuesdays now.

Please call, and share, and help spread the word that Hochul needs to hear from us to ban all new fracking
infrastructure!

Last week we generated 240 calls into her office to tell her to stop Astoria and Danskammer power plants.
Let’s keep it up!
Big thanks to Liz Moran at NYPIRG and the whole movement working to stop bitcoin mining and the Greenidge
fracked gas power plant on Seneca Lake. Call Call Call!

Sample Email:
Call Governor Hochul:
Stop Bitcoin Mining in NY, starting with the Greenidge fracked gas power plant on Seneca
Lake
877-235-6537
What is Bitcoin? Bitcoin is a form of energy intensive cryptocurrency mining that, according to a 2018 study
published in Nature, could single handedly produce enough greenhouse gases to raise global temperatures above
the 2-degree Celsius tipping point in less than three decades. Bitcoin mining can use the same amount of energy
as entire countries like Argentina. Parts of China and India are considering banning Bitcoin, because it is hampering
their climate goals, and taking power away from the public to use for private Bitcoin operations. And it's coming to
New York.

The Greenidge Bitcoin facility is a test case for how the rest of New York will fall. It is not an outlier- renowned
environmental law firm Earthjustice and the Sierra Club warned New York's Department of Environmental
Conservation (DEC) of 30 upstate power plants that could be targeted for Greenidge's new business model of
reviving old or retired fossil fuel burning plants to make cryptocurrency. Another plant has just been identified in
North Tonawanda near Buffalo, and others are waiting to see what happens with Greenidge. Everything New York
plans to do to fight climate change could be undermined by this single, energy-intensive industry if we allow it to
move forward unchecked.

Background: In 2017, Atlas Holdings converted a previously mothballed coal burning plant into Greenidge- a
fracked gas peaker-plantdesigned to provide energy to the local community at times of peak energy usage. The
conversion to gas was paid for using a $2 million grant from New York State.

Now, the plant’s owners at Atlas Holdings are using the energy generated at the plant to run technology that
mines for Bitcoin cryptocurrency, generating power for the owner’s private use and profit rather than
feeding the electricity back to the grid.

Not only is the power plant polluting our air and climate for their private Bitcoin profit, but they want to expand their
enterprise. At full capacity, Earthjustice projects that Greenidge could emit over 640,000 tons of CO2
equivalents annually.

Greenidge Generation LLC

590 Plant Rd | Dresden, NY | 14441
As if that weren’t bad enough, Greenidge’s hot water discharges go into a trout stream that feeds directly into
Seneca Lake, harming aquatic life and increasing the likelihood of harmful algal blooms, threatening this
drinking water source for 100,000 people.

In the midst of a global climate crisis, burning more fossil fuels to make fake money is insane, and because it’s set
up to operate “behind the meter,” it completely evades Cuomo’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act
aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions in New York State.

The New York State legislature failed to pass a bill this past legislative session that would have adopted a
moratorium on this growing industry, but Governor Hochul doesn't need to wait for the legislature. She can adopt a
moratorium as Governor and nip this new industry in the bud by starting with Greenidge, whose Title V Air permit is
up for renewal.

Call Governor Hochul at 877-235-6537 & tell her to shut down Bitcoin mining in NY, starting
with the Title V air permit for Greenidge's dirty fossil fuel project.
Yvonne Taylor
Co-Founder and Vice President, Gas Free Seneca
Seneca Lake Guardian, A Waterkeeper Affiliate

Greenidge Generation LLC

590 Plant Rd | Dresden, NY | 14441
False Published Statement

“The Greenidge Bitcoin facility is a test case for how the rest of New York will fall. It
is not an outlier- renowned environmental law firm Earthjustice and the Sierra Club
warned New York's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) of 30 upstate
power plants that could be targeted for Greenidge's new business model of reviving
old or retired fossil fuel burning plants to make cryptocurrency.”

Facts

• Our facility did not resume operations to “make cryptocurrency.”

______________________________________________________________________________

False Published Statement

“In 2017, Atlas Holdings converted a previously mothballed coal burning plant into
Greenidge- a fracked gas peaker-plantdesigned to provide energy to the local
community at times of peak energy usage. The conversion to gas was paid for using
a $2 million grant from New York State.”

Facts

• Our facility was acquired in 2014 and resumed operations in 2017. We worked with the
State of New York and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that the
facility would never again operate via coal-fired power. The facility was converted to
operate on clean natural gas-fired power via a total capital investment in the amount
of over $25 million. The conversion was not “paid for using a $2 million grant from New
York State.”

• Greenidge, as you know, did not resume operations as a “fracked gas peaker plant
designed to provide energy to the local community at times of peak energy usage.”

• Greenidge was permitted under new Department of Environmental Conservation

(NYSDEC) permits to resume operations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• Greenidge has not requested to be considered a “Peaking Unit,” which is required by

the definition of “Peaking Unit” in 40 CFR 72.2. The purpose of being considered a
“Peaking Unit” is that the unit can use relaxed monitoring methods. Greenidge does not
use these relaxed monitoring methods; rather, DEC required and Greenidge uses a
Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (CEMS) to ensure that it complies with the
emissions limits in its air pollution permits.

Greenidge Generation LLC

590 Plant Rd | Dresden, NY | 14441
False Published Statement

“Now, the plant’s owners at Atlas Holdings are using the energy generated at the
plant to run technology that mines for Bitcoin cryptocurrency, generating power for
the owner’s private use and profit rather than feeding the electricity back to the
grid.”

Facts

• Our operation is not “generating power for the owner’s private use and profit rather
than feeding the electricity back to the grid.” In 2020, we sent over 60% of the power
generated at Greenidge to the Grid, to power up to 20,000 homes and businesses. We
continue to send power to the Grid every single day.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

False Published Statement

“Not only is the power plant polluting our air and climate for their private Bitcoin
profit, but they want to expand their enterprise. At full capacity, Earthjustice
projects that Greenidge could emit over 640,000 tons of CO2 equivalents
annually.”

Facts

• Greenidge is not “polluting our air and climate for their private Bitcoin profit…”
• As the NYSDEC has repeatedly stated publicly, Greenidge is operating in compliance
with its air and water permits. Those permits include strict controls and monitoring, in
accordance with all applicable laws, and fully protect the public health.
• In response to a letter dated September 15, 2020, from the Committee to Preserve the
Finger Lakes, the NYSDEC said:

“We have determined that the facility operation is within the limitations of the
permits. The facility is in compliance with the terms and conditions in all
permits… We have determined that none of the grounds contained in Subpart
621.13, which allow the Department to suspend, modify or revoke permits, were
identified. Therefore, we will not be suspending, modifying, or revoking the
Greenidge permits in response to your letter.”

• On September 9, 2021, the NYSDEC issued their Title V Air Permit Review Report. On
Page 6 (see below for language), they reiterate that Greenidge remains in compliance
with our existing permits protecting the public health.

Greenidge Generation LLC

590 Plant Rd | Dresden, NY | 14441
_______________________________________________________________________

False Published Statement

“As if that weren’t bad enough, Greenidge’s hot water discharges go into a trout
stream that feeds directly into Seneca Lake, harming aquatic life and increasing the
likelihood of harmful algal blooms, threatening this drinking water source for
100,000 people.

Facts

• There is zero evidence that Greenidge’s operation is increasing the likelihood of

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABS) or threatening any aspect of Seneca Lake. In fact, as you
know, there is clear evidence to the contrary. In 2020, not one HAB was located within
4 miles of the Greenidge facility, according to the Seneca Lake Pure Waters
Association. This chart from SLPWA show the number of HABs in 2019, when rainfall
was heavier, and then again in 2020.

• Recent data confirms what the SLPWA data showed; the below data is from the NYSDEC
– from September 1, 2021. There are still no HABS close to the location of Greenidge’s
operation.

Greenidge Generation LLC

590 Plant Rd | Dresden, NY | 14441
 • There is also zero evidence that Greenidge poses any harm to aquatic life in the lake.

• To the contrary, upon reviewing the temperature of the water discharged during trout
spawning season this Spring, retired Lt. Judson Peck, who worked for years as part of
the NYS Environmental Conservation Police, said publicly:

“A few rainbow trout will enter the Keuka Outlet to spawn in the spring. Water
temperature of this range would have absolutely no adverse effect on the
spawning fish.”

False Published Statement

“…and because it’s set up to operate “behind the meter,” it completely

evades Cuomo’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act aimed at
reducing greenhouse gas emissions in New York State.”

Greenidge Generation LLC

590 Plant Rd | Dresden, NY | 14441
Facts

• There are two parts to the CLCPA. NYSDEC has until 2023 to promulgate rules to achieve the
statutory mandates for greenhouse gas reduction. The statute gives NYSDEC authority over
all “sources” of emissions that generate power and require a permit. NYSDEC has said as
much, publicly.

On April 17, 2021, The State DEC said this publicly about Greenidge:

“…In addition to ensuring continued compliance with DEC's current permits for the
facility, DEC will ensure a comprehensive and transparent review of its proposed air
permit renewals with a particular focus on the potential climate change impacts and
consistency with the nation-leading emissions limits established in the Climate
Leadership and Community Protection Act.”

• The CLCPA set important statewide targets relating to greenhouse gas reduction relative
to a 1990 baseline. We support those goals and will continue to work with the NYSDEC
to do our part to help the state meet them.

• Greenidge’s potential CO2e emissions -- if running at full capacity -- amounts to only

0.23% of the total statewide 2030 GHG emissions target. Our current onsite and
upstream potential CO2e emissions are already substantially lower than the facility’s
actual emissions in 1990, due to the step we took in partnership with the State to
eliminate coal-fired operations.

• We have also identified several new projects that have the potential to provide
additional aggregate GHG emissions reductions -- off our current operation – by over
40%.

Greenidge Generation LLC

590 Plant Rd | Dresden, NY | 14441