President Joe Biden announced Thursday in downtown Syracuse the $6.1 billion in federal CHIPS and Science Funding which will help make Micron's $100 billion megafab project in Clay a reality.
Biden focused on the idea of an American comeback story, saying advanced chip manufacturing, coming back to the U.S. after 40 years, is going to transform the semiconductor industry.
"American manufacturing is back," Biden said. "New factories are going up all across the county and communities like Syracuse are writing the great American comeback story. That's what it is. A comeback story, creating new jobs, new businesses, new hope."
That theme of a comeback story rang true for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). He said he still shakes with anger remembering the head of United Technologies telling him they were shutting down operations and moving Carrier from Syracuse to Asia. So, Schumer said he crafted the CHIPS and Science law to change that and create opportunities to draw companies like Micron back to the region.
"We know this is not just a once-in-a-generation investment," Schumer said. "It's an investment that will span generations with Micron in the lead and central New York going to great heights."
Micron's plan to invest up to $100 billion is the largest private sector investment in New York state history. The project is expected to bring up to 50,000 jobs to the central New York region.
Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said this is an opportunity to transform the community.
"And we can even transform a state with what's going on here," McMahon said. "The Onondaga County comeback is real. This was a final piece to the funding puzzle for the first two fabs and we're going to get back to work."
Micron expects to break ground on the first of four planned fabs next year.
