New York bill could halt digital currency mining pending environmental impact assessment Tech A new bill presented in New York could effectively implement a moratorium on block reward mining in the state until authorities have the chance to understand the environmental impacts. Introduced by Senator Kevin Parker, New York Senate Bill 6486 has now been referred to the Environmental Conservation Committee for further consideration. Under the terms proposed in the legislation, block reward mining firms would be subject to a three-year moratorium on mining, allowing the state to carry out a full range of environmental impact assessments, looking at greenhouse gas emissions, the impact on air quality, the impact on water quality and the impact on wildlife in the state.