The environmental review for incoming tech manufacturer, Micron, is now underway with public comments now being accepted.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hosted a public scoping meeting in Clay on Micron’s proposed plan to build a semiconductor manufacturing facility at the White Pine Commerce Park. Representatives from Micron and the Army Corps of Engineers provided updates on the project and took public comments regarding the environmental review.
Carson Henry, senior director of strategic U.S. expansion for Micron, gave an overview of the site which he said should still break ground in early 2025.
“We’re moving as quickly as we can and the stakeholders have been very supportive on that, so our schedule right now is clearly 2025 and I think when you look at a 20-year project that sort of timing difference is relatively small,” Henry said.
Steve Metivier of the regulatory branch of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said this is one of the first steps in determining the environmental concerns.
“We listen tonight to folks and what they want to say, any opinions they have concerns they might have, and again it’s really important, the National Environmental Protection Act, NEPA Ac, is the tool that we use to try and evaluate what we’ve got, impacts both beneficial and potentially adverse,” Metivier said.
Community members shared concerns over everything from airborne chemicals, wetlands, to natural gas among others. Paul Fritzen said he has concerns over the impacts the project will have on surrounding freshwater sources.
“ I would implore the army corps to research just how far of an environmental impact could happen in a worst-case scenario as well as a more realistic scenario from putting this fabrication plant at Orchard Park,” Fritzen said.
Agencies and the general public have until April 4 to submit environmental concerns or suggestions to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
