Abi Buddington and Yvonne Taylor, two environmental advocates from the Finger Lakes region in upstate New York, have received letters from Dale Irwin, CEO of Greenidge Generation LLC, which they characterize as “threatening.'  

The two activists were in Albany on Wednesday to testify at a hearing on the environmental impacts of cryptocurrency mining. 

Greenidge Generation is a gas-fired power plant on the shore of Seneca Lake, which now uses its energy, in part, to drill into enormous piles of digital code in pursuit of virtual currency.

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Greenidge denies the letters are threats. A spokesman told Capital Tonight that both women should be asked why they continue to say things that are “demonstrably false."

You can read the letters below.

Yvonne Taylor told Capital Tonight that she will continue speaking out against cryptocurrency mining.

“Despite the fact that this has been extremely destabilizing, I fear for my safety," Taylor said. "I fear for my family’s safety. I feel that I am on the side of right and I do have a First Amendment right to freedom of speech."

Greenidge responded to the threat allegations:

“Our critics calling attention to their own repeated false and misleading public statements is an interesting strategy. It is also ironic that those who today say they’re concerned about potential litigation are the very same people currently suing Greenidge and the small town of Torrey. The Seneca Lake Guardian and others also previously sued the State of New York regarding Greenidge and lost in court. Greenidge isn’t pursuing litigation against anyone and, as these letters make clear, this isn’t about preventing anyone from sharing their position."