Brown Urges Inclusion of Bill to Prevent Delays in Intel Project
October 27, 2023 The Building Chips in America Act passed the Senate in July as part of the National Defense Bill, Will Prevent Intel Project Delays Share Tweet WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) led a group of 118 bipartisan, bicameral lawmakers, in urging the Senate and House Armed Services Committees leaders to preserve the language based on the Building Chips in America Act in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), to prevent delays in projects like Intel’s investment in Central Ohio. The chips permitting bill, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support as an amendment to the Senate NDAA in July, will give the administration additional authority to more effectively implement the CHIPS and Science Act , Brown’s landmark microchip manufacturing bill, and maximize its potential to boost domestic microchip manufacturing, strengthen domestic supply chains, lower costs, and improve national security. Senate and House leaders are preparing to negotiate a final, compromise version of the NDAA that could pass both chambers and be signed into law. The letter urges Senate and House leaders to maintain the Senate-passed CHIPS and Science Act permitting flexibilities in that final version. Find a summary of the Building Chips in America Act HERE . Click HERE for the full bill text. “Historically, NEPA reviews apply to projects that receive a significant portion of federal funding, giving the Federal government sufficient control over the project’s outcome. This is not the case for the CHIPS program,” the lawmakers said in the letter. Federal funding for CHIPS Act projects will comprise a minimal share of the cost, but they would still be deemed “major federal actions.” “This could halt or delay commencement of new projects, impacting the United States’ ability to bolster its national security interests, economic growth, competitiveness, and technological leadership,” the lawmakers continued. Brown’s bill addresses this challenge by clarifying the scope of NEPA reviews while keeping in place state and federal protections for clean air and clean water. “Interruptions and delays to semiconductor manufacturing projects would undermine the goals of the CHIPS Act and exacerbate risks to our economic and national security, without providing additional benefits for environmental protection. Therefore, we urge you to retain Section 1090G of S. 2226 in the final FY24 NDAA,” they concluded. Ohio’s U.S. Representatives Tony Balderson (R-OH-12), Joyce Beatty (D-OH-3), Mike Carey (R-OH-15), Warren Davidson (R-OH-8), Bill Johnson (R-OH-6), Jim Jordan (R-OH-4), Dave Joyce (R-OH-14), Robert Latta (R-OH-5), Max Miller (R-OH-7), Emilia Sykes (D-OH-13), and Brad Wenstrup (R-OH-2) joined Brown in signing the letter. Co-signers of Brown and Kelly’s letter are Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Ted Budd (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jerry Moran (R-KS), James Risch (R-ID), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Jon Tester (D-MT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), JD Vance (R-OH), Mark Warner (D-VA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Todd Young (R-IN) in the Senate. Brown has been a leader in bringing new manufacturing opportunities to Ohio and worked to pass into law the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 which boosted Intel’s $20 billion investment to build a semiconductor plant in New Albany and is expected to create 10,000 jobs. Following its passage, companies throughout the semiconductor supply chain have announced plans to invest billions in new domestic manufacturing projects. The Building Chips in America Act would ensure federal environmental reviews are completed in a timely manner for these microchip projects supported by the CHIPS Act by streamlining approval for projects currently under construction and others that could be delayed, and by providing the Secretary of Commerce greater tools to more effectively and efficiently carry out reviews. The letter can be found HERE or below. Dear Chairman Reed, Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Wicker, and Ranking Member Smith: As you finalize the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), we request that you preserve Section 1090G of the Senate-passed bill which is based on the bipartisan and bicameral Building Chips in America Act (S. 2228/H.R. 4549).1 This provision streamlines National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review requirements for semiconductor manufacturing projects related to the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. To succeed at reshoring critical semiconductor supply chains, we cannot impose years-long delays to semiconductor projects important to national and economic security. Historically, NEPA reviews apply to projects that receive a significant portion of federal funding, giving the Federal government sufficient control over the project’s outcome. […]
