Micron has cleared another hurdle needed to start construction on $100 billion plan to build a massive semiconductor chip fabrication plant in the Town of Clay. Unanimous votes by the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency Tuesday were necessary to get the project going.
“It opens up the opportunity for that groundbreaking,’ said OCIDA executive director Bob Petrovich. “And the groundbreaking is important. It’s an important event that shows things are going to be happening."
OCIDA’s moves codify the needed environmental review, as well as starting the process of transferring 913 acres of land to Micron and ensuring $2 billion in tax breaks for the company. Petrovich said the OCIDA votes ends the agency’s part in the state’s environmental process.
“Unprecedented level of review, unprecedented requirements for a thorough analysis,” he said. “And so, as a result of that, it takes time. We're here. We wanted to make sure we did it right. We wanted to make sure that we heard the public and all of their comments. And it is an important milestone to us."
Now it’s up to state and federal agencies to come through with final permits, and a promised December groundbreaking can be scheduled.
"Everyone's working at warp speed to get this to happen,” Petrovich said. “It's one of the most significant projects out there. And everyone, the state of New York, the DEC, the Commerce Department, the CHIP's office, Army Corps, you name it. Everybody has been a great partner and everyone understands the importance of timing and what this means.”
There is one wrinkle to the land acquisition portion of the project. Onondaga County is being sued by a property owner who said the county promised her lifetime rights to her property, but is now trying to take the property through eminent domain. The county is holding a hearing this week regarding attempts to get control of the land.
