The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) today released the following statement from SIA President and CEO John Neuffer urging the House of Representatives to pass the Building Chips in America Act (S. 2228). The bipartisan legislation would maximize the positive impact of the CHIPS and Science Act by allowing certain semiconductor manufacturing projects incentivized by CHIPS to advance toward production without the threat of extended regulatory delays, while keeping environmental protections in place. The Senate passed S. 2228, sponsored by Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Ted Cruz (R-TX), by unanimous consent in December 2023. The House companion (H.R. 4549) is led by Reps. Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Scott Peters (D-CA), Brandon Williams (R-NY), Colin Allred (D-TX), and Michael McCaul (R-TX). Nearly 100 House members signed a letter in support of S. 2228 in October 2023.
“The CHIPS and Science Act is on track to reinvigorate domestic semiconductor manufacturing and innovation. CHIPS has sparked $450 billion in private investments in the U.S., and America’s semiconductor manufacturing capacity is projected to triple by 2032 due largely to the dozens of new semiconductor projects across America incentivized by CHIPS.
“The Building Chips in America Act will help ensure these new facilities get up and running in an expeditious and environmentally responsible way, which will help maximize the CHIPS Act’s positive impact on America’s economy, national security, and supply chain resilience. We applaud the leadership of the legislation’s bipartisan sponsors and urge House members to pass the bill and send it to the president’s desk to be signed into law.”
For decades, the semiconductor industry has constructed and operated facilities in the U.S. in compliance with federal, state, and local environmental regulations and permitting requirements. Under the CHIPS and Science Act, many projects receiving CHIPS incentives must now for the first time complete a federal environmental review in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. NEPA review could take years, potentially causing delays in completing CHIPS manufacturing and R&D projects, without providing significant additional environmental benefits.
Many CHIPS projects are already under construction, and without any reform these projects could be forced to stop or slow development. S. 2228 will ensure these critical investments move forward expeditiously, while retaining other existing environmental review and permitting requirements at the federal, state, and local levels.
