Excitement and optimism are building over the potential of a major tenant for a long-vacant plot of land in Onondaga County, White Pine Commerce Park, after the passage of the CHIPS Act in Congress.
Sen. Chuck Schumer stopped at a National Grid substation near the park on Monday to show that a chip plant would have access to the power, water and other infrastructure needed for a large facility.
“We have a rare opportunity that I am so optimistic will happen to bring one of the major chip [fabrication] manufacturers to create one of the biggest plants, not only in America but in the world, right here at White Pine,” Schumer said.
Schumer said Central New York also has the labor force and research institutions in addition to other assets that help it stand out to chip company executives.
“I've met with these folks, and they ask 50 questions, and we have better answers than just about any other place. So, you put that together with the fact that I helped write this bill and get it done and I will be making my voice heard, so you can be sure that no political factor from somewhere else is gonna drown out all the substantive factors that we have here that make us the best choice,” Schumer said.
In the U.S. House, Rep. John Katko convinced 24 of his Republican colleagues to vote yes on the $52 billion legislation to incentivize chip makers to locate here rather than overseas. He said making chips in the U.S. is a national security issue.
“Taiwan has about 90% of the high-end chip manufacturing in the world right now, and if China decides to go into Taiwan tomorrow, we won't be building missiles, we won't be building high-tech machinery, we won't be having our cars to drive around,” Katko said.
The CHIPS and Science Bill awaits President Joe Biden's signature. After that, Schumer said he expects agreements with chip makers to be signed in short order.