Torrey, NY (WENY) -- The Yates County Planning Board on Thursday saw an application for a site plan involving a bitcoin mining factory and the plan to build several small facilities next to it.The application, involving the site plan includes building multiple equipment housing units on cement slabs. After much back and forth between the people of Torrey and a lawyer representing Greenidge Generation the board voted to not recommend the site plan for the expansion to the property. The application will now be sent back to the Town of Torrey for approval. The decision came after a spirited debate.

“I have five yeses, three no's and one abstained,” said the person keeping count of the role.

Greenidge Generation is now going to have to wait a bit longer to expand. Many on the board and in the public argued the environmental impact of the new buildings.

“It's not something that's behooving Yates County at all. You're not getting the energy at all, all you're getting is the environmental devastation,” said Mary Finneran.

Many say the new buildings could impact the fish community. That water with a temperature over 100 degrees being pumped back into Seneca lake could affect the trout. A member of a group arguing against the expansion also mentioned fishnets being put up.

“I make a motion, we table this resolution, or application until some of these concerns are answered,” said Ed Moberg, a member of the planning board.

But a lawyer representing Greenidge argued the opposite. He said, the new buildings won't require more power outside their current permit, and they’ve met all the required timelines instituted by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC).

“The operation of this plant, with these four buildings, does not change outside of the bounds of the existing parameter of the permits,” said Kevin McAuliffe.

Greenidge also released a statement around the time of the meeting.

They said, "The NYSDEC issued the Greenidge water and air permits, and conducted a full SEQRA analysis of our operation, based on 24/7 operation of the facility to provide electricity. Greenidge is doing, and will continue to only do, precisely what the NYSDEC permits allow -- generate electricity."

The board's vote now sends the application back to the Town of Torrey. It will now take much more for the site plan for the expansion project to be approved.

“If they want to approve it, it has to be by a supermajority,” said Robert Schiesser, the chairperson of the planning board.

To approve the site plan for the expansion the vote by the Town of Torrey will have to be a simple majority plus 1. The next Town of Torrey board meeting is slated for February 9th.