Micron’s Central New York Project Must Take Environmental Impacts Into Consideration

Micron Technology is constructing a new microchip facility outside of Syracuse in Clay, NY that will become the largest microchip fabrication facility in U.S. history. While the project presents economic opportunity for the region, it will have a substantial impact on the natural environment and community surrounding it. In June, the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency (OCIDA) and the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on the project. A DEIS is a document that analyzes the potential natural and human environmental impacts of a proposed project that is required under the National Environmental Policy Act and the State Environmental Quality Review Act. The process must give the public an opportunity to provide input on the project. The 20,000-page DEIS report leaves many questions unanswered about the potential impacts and mitigation measures associated with the project.

While we are grateful for the opportunity to comment on the project, the DEIS leaves unresolved issues, including:

Water and Ecological Resources: The Micron project is slated to destroy hundreds of acres of wetlands that provide habitat for species and provide natural flood mitigation. The DEIS fails to adequately address hydrological and ecological issues, provide sufficient plans to restore nearby wetlands and mitigate on site wetlands loss, and address watershed and habitat destroyed by the project. The DEIS must provide additional analysis related to water quality, ground water, and surface water impacts including seasonal variations, location and loss of surface water channels, springs, intermittent flows and streams, wetlands, swamps, and ponds.
Protection of Air, Water, and Workers: Microchip production requires numerous toxic chemicals, including PFAS “forever chemicals,” but the DEIS does not provide sufficient detail on the types of chemicals that will be used or how continuous environmental monitoring and compliance will be enforced. The DEIS does not detail how Micron will minimize contamination of air, water, and soil or protect worker health and safety given the use of thousands of tons of hazardous chemicals in semiconductor production every year. Micron must adopt detailed plans to minimize negative impacts to workers and ecological communities, including best practices to minimize use of toxic chemicals to ensure their appropriate handling, treatment, and disposal, and provide robust worker training and safety protocols.
Greenhouse Gases: The DEIS does not state how Micron will meet its own 100% renewable energy commitment or substantially mitigate the factory’s enormous greenhouse gas emissions. Micron must create a comprehensive plan to generate or purchase renewable energy using wind and solar, and without relying on renewable energy credits or using renewable energy that is already on the grid, to meet New York State’s climate change objectives and the requirements of the New York Green CHIPS Act.
Affordable and Abundant Water and Energy: The DEIS does not ensure Micron’s massive energy and water use will not affect the affordability of energy and clean water nor ensure that ratepayers and tax dollars will not ultimately bear the cost of infrastructure upgrades and higher energy demands as a result of this project. The DEIS must clearly confront these issues.

Will you submit comments to CHIPS Program Office and OCIDA to share your thoughts on the environmental impacts of Micron’s Central New York Project? Comments are due by Monday, August 11th, so send your message today!

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Draft Environmental Assessment EISX-006-55-CPO-001; Micron Project in Clay, NY

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Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIS) for Micron’s proposed semiconductor manufacturing facility in Clay, New York. Despite the submission of the following comments, please consider that the 45-day public comment period does not give the public enough time to read and fully understand the 20,000-page report. I am asking you to extend the comment period to October 25, 2025, at a minimum, and noting that there has been no public response to a petition signed by over 1500 residents of the region asking the same. Based on my current understanding of the DEIS, I still want to highlight key environmental, social, and economic impacts as well as mitigation measures, which are insufficiently addressed in the DEIS. The 20,000-page DEIS report leaves many questions unanswered about the potential impacts and mitigation measures associated with Micron’s Central New York Project. I urge consideration and response to the following issues and concerns: - Water and Ecological Resources: The Micron project is slated to destroy hundreds of acres of wetlands that provide habitat for species and provide natural flood mitigation. The DEIS fails to adequately address hydrological and ecological issues, provide sufficient plans to restore nearby wetlands and mitigate on site wetlands loss, and address watershed and habitat destroyed by the project. The DEIS must provide additional analysis related to water quality, ground water, and surface water impacts including seasonal variations, location and loss of surface water channels, springs, intermittent flows and streams, wetlands, swamps, and ponds. Ecological features, soil types, and other related elements must be thoroughly assessed to consider the negative impacts from habitat loss. - Protection of Air, Water, and Workers: Microchip production requires numerous toxic chemicals, including PFAS “forever chemicals,” but the DEIS does not provide sufficient detail on the types of chemicals that will be used or how continuous environmental monitoring and compliance will be enforced. The DEIS does not detail how Micron will minimize contamination of air, water, and soil or protect worker health and safety given the use of thousands of tons of hazardous chemicals in semiconductor production every year. Micron must adopt detailed plans to minimize negative impacts to workers and ecological communities, including best practices to minimize use of toxic chemicals to ensure their appropriate handling, treatment, and disposal, and provide robust worker training and safety protocols. - Greenhouse Gases: The DEIS does not state how Micron will meet its own 100% renewable energy commitment or substantially mitigate the factory’s enormous greenhouse gas emissions. Micron must create a comprehensive plan to generate or purchase renewable energy using wind and solar, and without relying on renewable energy credits or using renewable energy that is already on the grid, to meet New York State’s climate change objectives and the requirements of the New York Green CHIPS Act. - Affordable and Abundant Water and Energy: The DEIS does not ensure Micron’s massive energy and water use will not affect the affordability of energy and clean water nor ensure that ratepayers and tax dollars will not ultimately bear the cost of infrastructure upgrades and higher energy demands as a result of this project. The DEIS must clearly confront these issues. Thank you for your consideration of my comments. Sincerely,

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