The White House is urging Congress to impose a 30 percent tax on electricity used in cryptocurrency mining in a bid to reduce the sector’s impact on the environment. The Council of Economic Advisers argues in a forthcoming post that the energy use of “proof-of-work” cryptocurrency mining, the most energy-intensive approach, creates negative spillovers for the environment, quality of life, and electricity grids. The proposed Digital Asset Mining Energy excise tax would be phased in over three years, starting at 10 percent next year, then rising to 20 percent, and finally 30 percent. Critics argue that the crypto mining industry is unfairly targeted and that the proposed tax would not effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The tax would generate an estimated $3.5 billion over a decade.