Press Release

Schumer, Gillibrand, Hanna Call on Army Corps to Quickly Approve Mohawk Valley Edge’s New Wetland Permit – With End-User Determined, Permit Approval One of Last Major Hurdles in Moving Chip Fab Forward in Oneida County

Nov 4, 2013

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Representative Richard Hanna called on the Army Corps of Engineers to swiftly review and approve a new wetland permit for the site being developed by Mohawk Valley Economic Development Growth Enterprises (EDGE) to attract the chip fabrication industry to Marcy, N.Y.

For several years, EDGE has been actively engaged in the development of site to attract a semiconductor manufacturing facility in Marcy; the effort has broad support from the community and the congressional delegation. Despite considerable effort from EDGE and the delegation, the initial wetland permit application process stalled, due to a lack of an end user at the site. Mohawk Valley EDGE is now submitting a new application in which the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) would serve as the end user for the Marcy site, fulfilling a key Army Corps permit requirement.

Given CNSE’s success in in the Capital District region of New York in the development of nanotechnology research and development, as well as manufacturing, Schumer, Gillibrand and Hanna said it is a proven and appropriate end-user for the proposed chip fabrication site. The lawmakers pointed out that over the last several years EDGE has worked diligently with federal and local agencies to lay the groundwork for this project to move forward.

Schumer, Gillibrand and Hanna believe that the Army Corps should quickly approve this application to allow EDGE to move forward with site preparations and construction, so that the facility can in turn become a world-class, job-creating high-technology manufacturing hub.

“The Marcy Nanocenter has the potential to reshape the Mohawk Valley, and I am urging Army Corps to approve EDGE’s new wetland permit without delay,” Senator Schumer said. “I have long urged the feds to cut through the red tape that has held up the creation of this high-tech manufacturing hub, and now that the highly successful CNSE has been selected as the end user, there should be no delay in getting EDGE a permit in hand. Once Army Corps approves this application, site preparations and construction can begin, paving the way for chip manufacturing and high-tech jobs in Oneida County.”

“This project has the potential to be a powerful economic engine for the Mohawk Valley, and I urge the Army Corps to move quickly to approve this application,” Senator Gillibrand said. “This is the kind of development we need to bring to the Mohawk Valley to create more good-paying, high-tech jobs right here in New York. I’ve visited the future site of Marcy Nanotech Manufacturing, and I know it’s potential to be a real development engine in the region. This project holds tremendous economic opportunity for the region and is far too important to squander.”

“It is time for the Marcy project to move forward; for too long regulatory roadblocks have stalled this critical jobs project,” Rep. Hanna said. “Now that EDGE has partnered with CNSE, the Army Corps should swiftly review and approve this permit so the Mohawk Valley can take the next step in becoming a world-class nanotechnology hub.  I look forward to continue working with Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, as well as our dedicated local partners, to see this project completed as quickly as possible.”

 

EDGE has been preparing the Marcy property for several years to market it a potential site for location of a $2-4 billion computer chip manufacturing facility which could host several thousand new jobs.  According to EDGE, several international computer chip companies have expressed an interest in this location.

 

The text of the letter signed by Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, and Representative Hanna, appears below:

 

 

LTC Owen J. Beaudoin

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Buffalo District

1776 Niagara Street

Buffalo, NY 14207

 

Dear Commander Beaudoin:

 

We write in support of the most recent Section 404 permit application submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) by Mohawk Valley Economic Development Growth Enterprises (EDGE), and we ask for its swift review.

 

As you know, Mohawk Valley EDGE is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to the development and enhancement of economic opportunities in Oneida and Herkimer counties in New York State.  Mohawk Valley EDGE has been actively engaged in the development of a semiconductor manufacturing facility in Marcy, New York, for several years with broad support from the community and the local Congressional delegation. 

 

Under EDGE’s application, the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) would serve as the end user for the Marcy site. Given CNSE’s tremendous success in the development of nanotechnology research and development, as well as manufacturing in the Capital District region of New York, we believe they are a proven and appropriate end user for the proposed chip fabrication site. In addition, over the last several years, EDGE has worked diligently with federal and local agencies to lay the groundwork for this project to move forward. This includes environmental reviews required by the state and federal governments.  

 

The Marcy project is of great importance to upstate New York’s nanotechnology industry and to the economic development of the Mohawk Valley region. An approved USACE permit is a critical final component for advancing this much-needed project, bringing good-paying jobs to an area of the state ready to embrace the semiconductor industry.  

 

Thank you for your time and attention to this request.  Please do not hesitate to contact us should you require further information or assistance.

 

Sincerely,

 

Charles E. Schumer

United States Senator

 

Kirsten E. Gillibrand

United States Senator

 

Richard Hanna

Member of Congress