Micron announces historic investment of up to $100 billion to build megafab in Central New York

Micron hosted an open house on Aug. 1, 2023 for the public to learn more about the upcoming environmental review process for Micron’s planned New York project.

On Mar. 19, 2024, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) hosted a public scoping meeting to solicit public comments on Micron's proposal to construct and operate a semiconductor manufacturing facility in Clay, NY.

• The proposed project will further the U.S.’s goal to expand domestic memory chip manufacturing capacity and restore U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing as outlined in the “Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors and Science Act of 2022” (the “CHIPS Act”). For Micron, the purpose is to advance its leading-edge position in the development and manufacturing of DRAM memory chips.
• The purpose of the CHIPS Act and the need for the semiconductor fabrication facility is to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign production of both leading-edge and older generation microelectronics. The U.S. position within the semiconductor industry has been declining. According to the Semiconductor Industry Association, U.S. production of the world’s microchips has fallen from 37% in 1990 to 12% in 2020.
• The proposed project aims to address economic and national security risks by building domestic capacity, to establish a network for semiconductor research and innovation centers, and to improve competitiveness and strengthen regional supply chain industries. Micron provides a unique and essential role in domestic production of leading-edge memory chips that are essential and high-volume components of the semiconductor industry.

• The new Micron semiconductor fabrication facility is proposed for the Town of Clay, New York, at the White Pine Commerce Park (WPCP), an approximately 1,400-acre industrial park currently managed by the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency (OCIDA).
• Micron will construct four (4) Memory Fabrication facilities (“Fabs”), which will be built-out over an approximate 20-year period. Micron expects the Fabs will be built in sequence, with construction of each Fab starting as the preceding Fab is being fit-out and operations begun so there is continuous construction.
• Each Fab is expected to occupy approximately 1.2 million square feet (sf) of land and contain approximately 600,000 sf of clean room space, 290,000 sf of clean room support space, and 250,000 sf of administrative space. Each set of two Fabs would be supported by approximately 470,000 sf of central utility buildings, 200,000 sf of warehouse space, and 200,000 sf of product testing space housed in separate buildings.
• The proposed Micron Campus will also include ancillary on-site electrical substations, water and wastewater pre-treatment and storage, and industrial gas storage. The Micron Campus includes four (4) Fabs and ancillary on-site support facilities, driveways, parking, an adjacent utility infrastructure site, a Childcare Site (located approximately two miles north of the Campus) and connected off-site utility improvements to support operations.

• Micron’s investment in the fabrication facility will advance the goals of the State of New York and OCIDA to enhance job growth in Central New York by promoting advanced manufacturing in the region.
• The fabrication facility is anticipated to generate nearly 50,000 jobs in Central New York over more than a 20-year period, including 9,000 good-paying Micron jobs directly generated by the fabrication facility and over 40,000 additional jobs with suppliers, contractors and other businesses.

• Central New York offers a rich pool of diverse talent, including communities underrepresented in technology jobs. The region also has a significant military population which aligns with Micron’s goals for veteran hiring. New York provides partnership opportunities with local K-12 education programs and leading-higher education institutions for top engineering and technical talent. Developing the workforce of the future is a critical priority for Micron. Micron is focused on training, attracting, and retaining the best and brightest minds to continue America’s technology leadership, and looks forward to sharing further details on partnerships to achieve these goals.
• Micron and the State of New York have announced a historic $500 million investment in community and workforce development over a more than 20-year period. Micron will further invest $250 million in line with its commitment to the Green CHIPS Community Investment Fund. An additional $250 million is expected to be invested, with $100 million from New York, and $150 million from local, other state and national partners. This fund is intended to expand and train the workforce in the region, including providing support for disadvantaged populations.

Micron is thrilled to build this new fabrication facility in New York, making the Empire State the location of the biggest leading-edge memory site in the U.S. There were multiple factors that made New York an ideal home for Micron’s new fabrication facility:

• Central New York offers a rich pool of diverse talent, including communities underrepresented in technology jobs.
• The area has much to offer for future Micron employees and families, including urban and outdoor lifestyles, an affordable cost of living and leading-higher education institutions.
• New York provides partnership opportunities with local K-12 education programs, community colleges and institutions for top engineering and technical talent.
• The region also has a significant military population, which aligns with Micron’s goals for veteran hiring.
• There is availability and access to clean, reliable power and water to achieve our long-term environmental goals.
• New York has a long history of semiconductor development and manufacturing and a promising opportunity to expand to the memory sector.
• There are opportunities to collaborate on research and development (R&D) initiatives, including with:
  • The Albany NanoTech Complex – a hub for R&D and workforce development programs.
  • The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, NY focused on mission-critical R&D programs and military and defense readiness efforts.
• The $5.5 billion in incentives from the state of New York over the life of the project are critical to support hiring and capital investment. In addition, the Town of Clay and Onondaga County are providing key infrastructure support for Micron’s new leading-edge semiconductor fabrication facility.

Micron is committed to delivering on its sustainability framework for the design, construction, and operation of our new facility, in line with the Green CHIPS program.

• Micron aims to achieve 100% water reuse, recycling and restoration as well as use 100% renewable electricity at the new facility.
• Additionally, the company plans to use green infrastructure and sustainable building attributes for the construction of the new fabrication facility to attain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold status.
• GHG emissions for the new facility will be mitigated and controlled by using state-of-the-art technology.
• We will work to incorporate energy efficiency measures.
• We will utilize green hydrogen—hydrogen formed through electrolysis powered by renewable electricity, without GHG emissions—to the extent feasible to displace/replace natural gas and gray hydrogen consumption.
• Micron aims to achieve zero waste to landfill.

These efforts support Micron’s global target to achieve a 42% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2020 baseline operations (“scope 1”) by 2030 and net-zero emissions from operations and purchased energy (scope 1&2) by 2050, supporting the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

We intend to conduct field investigations in a manner that minimizes disruption. Residents may see individuals installing, monitoring, and collecting traffic counting cameras and instruments as well as noise meters in weatherproof black cases at and in the area around White Pine Commerce Park. Various contractors at the site may be present drilling small holes to take geotechnical samples, conducting flora and fauna habitat surveys, wetland delineations, and performing other investigative work. Some investigative work will require overnight activity but is not anticipated to generate substantial light or noise noticeable to the public.

The public has had and will have various opportunities to provide comments and feedback on the project through the environmental review process in compliance with New York’s State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). OCIDA, the lead agency, completed the official scoping process in Fall 2023 and received written and oral comments from community members. We anticipate releasing the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) in summer 2024 and holding a public hearing to receive public comments. Micron has hosted dozens of community and stakeholder events to date and will continue to engage with the public throughout the environmental review process to solicit feedback and provide opportunities for the public to learn more and share their thoughts.

It is early yet to say when the necessary permits for specific actions—such as tree clearing—would be issued. We intend to thoroughly follow the environmental review process required by federal and state laws and will coordinate with federal, state and local agencies to develop permit applications that comply with necessary regulations. We expect to continue with the environmental review process through 2023 and into 2024, with site preparation targeted to begin in 2024.

Micron intends to begin site preparation in 2024. We must first complete the required environmental review processes and will complete all the necessary steps throughout 2023 and into 2024.

We will work closely with the local community and government officials at the state and local levels to effectively manage potential impacts of construction, such as traffic. Micron is coordinating with the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), Onondaga County, the Town of Clay, and the Town of Cicero to prepare an assessment of traffic conditions at the regional and local levels. Input from the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council (SMTC) is also being provided. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement will identify proposed transportation improvements and a schedule for when they would be required.

• The Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency (OCIDA) is the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) lead agency for the environmental review for the project. Micron, as the Project Sponsor, will prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) pursuant to SEQRA. Since the semiconductor fabrication facility will require certain federal permits and approvals that require federal environmental review, including, but not limited to, federal wetlands permits pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, the SEQRA Draft EIS will also contain information to support National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 United States Code (U.S.C.) § 4321 et seq.) review.
• The semiconductor fabrication facility will be evaluated for potential significant adverse effects to the Project Site and applicable study areas for all relevant environmental technical categories in accordance with applicable SEQRA requirements. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement will consider short-term (construction) and long-term (operational) effects (including direct and indirect short-term (construction) and long-term (operational) effects) of the semiconductor fabrication facility. Cumulative impacts will also be addressed, as applicable. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement will identify proposed mitigation for any significant adverse environmental impacts.