Message to Biden: Balance Micron’s economic impact with its risks (Your Letters)

Micron clean room

Micron employees working in one of the company's fabrication plants, or fabs. The smoke-colored canisters on the rolling rack are silicon wafers, from which computer chips are cut.Micron Technology | Special to S

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To the Editor:

An open letter to President Joe Biden:

The “transformative“ Micron deal (”Micron wins $6.1 billion CHIPS grant for Central NY and Idaho projects, Schumer says,” April 18, 2024) not only portends an economic boom and the promise of high-paying jobs, but carries with it considerable risks for future generations. We, members of the Sustainability Coalition of CNY, a newly created alliance of sustainability-promoting organizations, want to be clear: We support the economic development of CNY. We also expect development that is protective of the environment, the health and safety of residents and workers, benefits all residents of Central New York, including disadvantaged communities, and is not detrimental to the sustainability goals of the region and nation.

Concerns this development presents include: Who pays for the needed infrastructure? Where will renewable energy come from to power the plant? How will greenhouse gas emissions be phased out to comply with New York state’s climate law? How will leaks and emissions of the many hazardous chemicals used in chip manufacturing be mitigated? And how will services such as housing, transportation, first responders and healthcare be expanded to meet the needs of both current Central New Yorkers and the population growth anticipated?

We urge that state and federal environmental reviews allow ample opportunity for public input, and that Micron and government agencies be responsive to the public’s concerns. Until answers to our questions are provided, we must remain skeptical and vigilant so as not to repeat the environmental and health problems which prior generations of manufacturing created in Central New York and communities across the country; and which prompted the creation of the National Environmental Policy Act, and the first Earth Day 54 years ago.

Tim Judson | Alliance for a Green Economy | Syracuse

Peter Wirth | Climate Change Awareness and Action | Fayetteville

Dick Kornbluth | CNY Solidarity Coalition | Syracuse

Rhea Jezer | Energy21 and Sierra Club C&NNY Group | Tully

John Przepiora | GreeningUSA | Syracuse

Peter Arsenault | GreeningUSA | Manlius

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