News US government doles out paltry $35 million of the $52 billion CHIPS Act, warns of possible delays in Intel and TSMC fab buildouts

[Admin]

The U.S. government has begun doling out portions of the $52 billion CHIPS Act, beginning with just $35 million to BAE Systems. It also warns of possible delays in Intel and TSMC fab buildouts.

US government doles out paltry $35 million of the $52 billion CHIPS Act, warns of possible delays in Intel and TSMC fab buildouts : Read more

 

[washmc]

To a large degree, this poses a conflict between environmental regulations and national security goals.

Environmental protection should also be a national security goal if people weren't so short sighted...

 

[bit_user]

Environmental protection should also be a national security goal if people weren't so short sighted...

Yeah, I think a big problem is just separating out the complaints that are really just NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) and people who are reflexively opposed to anything being built anywhere, from real concerns about irreparable and unmitigated damage to unique ecosystems.

We need to be able to build stuff, and even if we don't build it here, it's going to be built at some environmental cost, somewhere. So, I'm all for having a sane review process, but it definitely should be streamlined to reduce noise and the potential for local politicians to meddle too much in the process (perhaps more on behalf of themselves than their constituents).

 

[TCA_ChinChin]

Yeah, I think a big problem is just separating out the complaints that are really just NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) and people who are reflexively opposed to anything being built anywhere, from real concerns about irreparable and unmitigated damage to unique ecosystems.

We need to be able to build stuff, and even if we don't build it here, it's going to be built at some environmental cost, somewhere. So, I'm all for having a sane review process, but it definitely should be streamlined to reduce noise and the potential for local politicians to meddle too much in the process (perhaps more on behalf of themselves than their constituents).

I feel like a lot of the current concerns with the Intel and TSMC buildouts are based on legitimate points. The water usage and local resources of some of the facilities should definitely be researched more rather than less. I'm all for more facilities but building them in the middle of arid climate states that already struggle managing water for comercial and residential usage seems ripe for red tape and environmental concerns.

 

[bit_user]

I'm all for more facilities but building them in the middle of arid climate states that already struggle managing water for comercial and residential usage seems ripe for red tape and environmental concerns.

Agreed, but I'm not sure that's what the environmental permitting process concerns are primarily about.

I think you're probably referring to TSMC's plant in Arizona, but I think Intel's most recently-announced plant is in Ohio, BTW. They have plenty of water.

 

[TCA_ChinChin]

Agreed, but I'm not sure that's what the environmental permitting process concerns are primarily about.

I think you're probably referring to TSMC's plant in Arizona, but I think Intel's most recently-announced plant is in Ohio, BTW. They have plenty of water.

Yeah I'm mostly concerned about the TSMC plant in Arizona. It's already been in the news for a variety of reasons, but environmental concerns seem pretty relevant in Arizona's case. The recent Intel plant I really have no problem with on a water use level, but large manufactoring plants should always go through rigorous environmental checks. I'm not a NIMBY, but having adequate EPA investigations and research is always relevant. I don't think this article points out in particular what environmental permitting or checks they are going through, but I imagine water use and disposal is a large part of what needs to be checked for manufactoring in general.