Chip manufacturing expansion in the West requires careful resource management

The Biden administration’s CHIPS Act is set to transform the Western U.S. into a semiconductor hub, but it poses significant challenges related to water and energy resources.

Erin X. Wong reports for High Country News.

In short:

The CHIPS Act will provide $29.5 billion to support semiconductor production in the U.S., with a focus on the Western states, to reduce dependency on foreign supply chains.
New semiconductor factories, such as those planned by TSMC and Intel in Arizona, require substantial water and energy resources, raising concerns in drought-prone areas like Arizona.
TSMC’s facilities are expected to create 6,000 permanent jobs, and Intel’s expansion could add 700 jobs in New Mexico, leading to significant economic growth and increased housing demand.

Key quote:

“Energy, climate tech, batteries, EVs, quantum computing, health-care diagnostics—at the center of all of this are (semiconductor) chips.”

— Chris Camacho, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council

Why this matters:

The push to increase U.S. semiconductor production aims to bolster national security and economic resilience, but it may exacerbate resource strains in regions already facing environmental challenges. Balancing industrial growth with sustainable resource management is crucial to ensure the long-term viability of these initiatives.

www.hcn.org

Chip manufacturing expansion in the West requires careful resource management

Colorado bill would require safety plans to protect workers from extreme temperatures

How the meat industry is quietly keeping its emissions off the climate agenda

A shrinking Colorado River is forcing farms to change

The war with Iran is already about energy

Spiking gas prices spark consumer interest in electric vehicles

Trump’s energy ‘tiger team’ struggles to find its roar with Iran

London, San Francisco and Beijing achieve ‘remarkable reductions’ in air pollution

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.