One of five of the megasites the MEDC is selling to multinational investors as "shovel ready," the Mundy Township megasites spans nearly 1,000 acres of a heavily populated residential community. Residents of Mundy Township, Swartz Creek, Flint, and Genesee County at large are fighting back.
$1.5M already allocated to Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance from The MEDC for the project, for “site survey, title work, land assembly/control/acquisition”. More funding is earmarked for Mundy and other megasites by The MEDC in 2022.
Within a half mile radius of the proposed site, there are: nine major subdivisions (two of which exist within the property site), four manufactured home communities, one elementary school, and two childcare centers.
At 981 acres, which may be a contender for a $50B semiconductor megasite.
In 2021, the average daily water intake of semiconductor plants worldwide was over 11 million gallons. According to scientific research, and to observations about existing semiconductor operations, these facilities can drain local water supplies, forcing communities to ship in water for municipal use.
Furthermore, the use of highly toxic and unremovable chemicals is concerning. According to the EPA:
“Semiconductor manufacturers use a variety of high GWP gases to create intricate circuitry patterns upon silicon wafers and to rapidly clean chemical vapor deposition (CVD) tool chambers. Semiconductor manufacturing processes use high GWP fluorinated compounds including perfluorocarbons (e.g., CF4, C2F6, C3F8 and c-C4F8), hydrofluorocarbons (CHF3, CH3F and CH2F2), nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). Semiconductor manufacturing processes also use fluorinated heat transfer fluids and nitrous oxide (N2O)...
It was historically assumed that the majority of these chemicals were consumed or transformed in the manufacturing process. It is now known that under normal operating conditions, anywhere between 10 to 80 percent of the fluorinated GHGs pass through the manufacturing tool chambers unreacted and are released into the air.”
Despite the site's proximity to both Swartz Creek and the Grand River, both critical to the Lake Eerie watershed, the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance has indicated no intention of performing environmental impact studies (EIS). They only promise to "follow all current" substandard regulations–regulations guided by the captured EGLE.
The Michigan Economical Development Corporation (MEDC) recently held an open webinar with University of Michigan, Washtenaw Community College, Michigan State University, Lansing Community College, Delta College and Michigan Tech, along with two of Michigan's semiconductor manufacturers, KLA Global and SK Siltron CSS. The webinar was focused on these universities and colleges establishing or enhancing classes in the semiconductor industry. Their goal is to make Michigan a major contender in the Semiconductor industry, as clearly stated by The MEDC’s 2022-2023 Economic Development Guide.
“We are also developing an ecosystem of talent programs, including a dedicated Semiconductor Talent Action Team, and economic development tools, such as the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve fund, so that we can use to turbocharge the growth of the semiconductor supply chain in our state.” - Gov. Whitmer, p16
Padraig Belton, The Guardian
Kevin Multani, Stanford University
by James Felton and Hannah Mose, WNEM
by Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance, Site Selection Magazine
JP Isbell, MI News Source
by Rayvin Bleu and Hannah Mose, WNEM
EDRA of MI
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