AS WOLFSPEED PREPARES TO LAUNCH PRODUCTION AT NEW $1 BILLION CHIP FAB, SCHUMER PUSHES TO SECURE 2ND SEMICONDUCTOR PLANT AT MARCY NANOCENTER; SENATOR SAYS HIS FEDERAL SEMICONDUCTOR FAB-INCENTIVE LEGISLATION WILL BE THE LIGHTNING ROD TO ATTRACT NEW COMPANIES, CREATE JOBS, & SUPERCHARGE MOHAWK VALLEY’S ECONOMY

Wolfspeed’s New Mohawk Valley Chip Fab Will Be The First, Largest And Only 200mm Silicon Carbide Fabrication Facility In The World, Bringing 600 Good-Paying Jobs To New York; Schumer Says Fab Will Help Ease National Chip Shortage & Be Catalyst For Additional Tech Investment In The Region

As Marcy Nanocenter Is In Discussions With Multiple Semiconductor Companies To Invest In Site, Schumer-Led U.S. Innovation And Competition Act Creates First-Ever Incentives To Help Land New Chip Fab in Mohawk Valley, Bring Jobs Back From Overseas, Fix Supply Chain Shortages, & Lower Costs For American Families

Schumer: Mohawk Valley Is Ready To Power America’s Future Of Chip Manufacturing!

Standing at the Marcy Nanocenter as Wolfspeed prepares to launch production at its new $1 billion chip fabrication (“fab”) facility, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today launched a major push to establish Marcy as a domestic hub for semiconductor manufacturing by landing another fab in the Mohawk Valley. Schumer explained that Wolfspeed’s Mohawk Valley Fab will be the first, largest and only 200mm Silicon Carbide fabrication facility in the world. The more than $1 billion investment will bring 600 new jobs to the region by 2029, on top of providing critical support to ease national chip shortage, shore up domestic supply chains, and lower costs for working families. Now, Schumer is doubling down on his efforts to bring further investment to Marcy, through the $52 billion in federal incentives for domestic semiconductor manufacturing and R&D included in his U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA). In addition, Schumer is pushing for Central New York and the Mohawk Valley to be awarded up to $100 million through the Economic Development Administration’s Regional Challenge grant program, which would provide investment to further develop Marcy Nanocenter and make the region a national tech and manufacturing hub. With Marcy Nanocenter already attracting interest from other semiconductor-related companies due to its advanced site infrastructure, Schumer says these incentives would be a catalyst in luring more jobs to the Mohawk Valley.

“Wolfspeed is leading the pack in cutting-edge semiconductor innovation, and with production launching at their new billion dollar fab very soon, and over 600 jobs en route, the future has never looked brighter for the Marcy Nanocenter. That is why I am doubling down on my efforts to help bring another chip fab to the Mohawk Valley!” said Senator Schumer. “I have fought tooth and nail to create a historic $52 billion in new federal incentives for domestic semiconductor manufacturing in my U.S. Innovation and Competitiveness Act meant to supercharge investment in places exactly like Marcy, ease supply chain shortages and help bring back chip manufacturing to America. The Marcy Nanocenter is one of the most shovel-ready sites in the country for chip production, and with the jolt of electricity from Wolfspeed’s new facility, in tandem with a power up from my legislation, we can make Marcy a national hub for semiconductor investment.”

Senator Schumer has a long history of fighting to advance semiconductor manufacturing and R&D in Upstate New York. In June 2021, Schumer successfully passed through the Senate the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA), legislation he introduced that combined his Endless Frontier Act to make a significant investment in research, development, manufacturing and innovation with other competitiveness legislation. As part of this package, Schumer also included $52 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations to implement the semiconductor-related manufacturing and R&D programs that he had successfully pushed to authorize in the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. The House passed its companion legislation to USICA, the America COMPETES Act this past January. Earlier this month, Senator Schumer took an important step in advancing the bill to final passage, announcing Conferees to the Conference Committee to reconcile differences between the Senate- and House-passed bills in order to send final legislation to the President to sign into law. Schumer added that Marcy Nanocenter is uniquely positioned to benefit from the $52 billion in semiconductor manufacturing incentives that companies will tap to build new domestic chip fabs because it already has robust infrastructure in place, making it one of the most advanced semiconductor sites in the nation. With Marcy Nanocenter already in discussions with multiple semiconductor companies interested in the site, Schumer pledged to work hand-in-hand with local officials to lure another chip fab to the Mohawk Valley.

Finally, Schumer highlighted CenterState’s Smart Systems Cluster project, which after his direct advocacy, was selected as a finalist for up to a $100 million Economic Development Administration (EDA) Regional Challenge grant. The proposed project would expand Central New York and the Mohawk Valley’s semiconductor manufacturing industry and grow other tech industries like quantum computing and UAS. Specifically, the proposal would invest $7.5 million in a Marcy Nanocenter Supply Chain Flex Space for companies looking to co-locate with Wolfspeed and other future tenants and $10 million in Rome Lab’s Innovare Advancement Center to accelerate the region’s leadership in quantum science. In January this year, Schumer brought Commerce Deputy Secretary Don Graves to the region to discuss its strengths as a national tech and manufacturing hub, including for the semiconductor industry, and to further advocate for the selection of CenterState’s EDA Regional Challenge proposal to be selected for a final award. The senator explained that the $1 billion EDA Build Back Better Regional Challenge Program, created by the American Rescue Plan, received 529 Phase 1 applications from across the nation. CenterState’s Smart Systems Cluster proposal – which is a partnership between major regional stakeholders in Central New York and the Mohawk Valley – was one of only 60 selected as a Phase 1 awardee allowing them to receive $500,000 in technical assistance to strengthen their project and compete for a Phase 2 final award. Phase 2, Schumer said, will award 20-30 regional coalitions between $25 million and $100 million in grant funding for their project, if selected further boosting Marcy as a site for semiconductor investment.

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