Tension Mounts as Oregon Waits for News of its Selection to House a Semiconductor Research Hub
If Oregon is not selected as the last of three semiconductor research hubs, the state will lose hundreds of millions of federal investment dollars and suffer a major setback as an anchor state of the high-tech industry.
On October 31 and November 1, the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) announced that the other two research hubs will be established in Albany, NY, and Sunnyvale, California.
Oregon’s Selection is in Jeopardy Say Informants
Tension mounts as Oregon waited to be awarded the third hub – a packaging and prototyping facility at the Intel campus in Hillsboro. The imminent announcement never happened, and now informants believe the state’s selection is in jeopardy.
The third site is scheduled to be announced before the end of the year, but anonymous sources say Oregon’s chances of selection are diminishing as the eyes of the Trump administration focus elsewhere.
State Lobbyists Remain Hopeful
However, Oregon semiconductor lobbyists remain hopeful.
‘Oregon is the right place,’ says Duncan Wyse, president of the Oregon Business Council who was involved with devising a semiconductor strategy.
Wyse says Oregon is the logical choice because it houses the biggest concentration of chip designers and factory workers in the country.
An ardent advocate for the CHIPS Act in Congress is Oregon Democratic Senator, Ron Wyden, who supports Wyse’s argument that the state is the logical choice for the third research and development hub.
Winning a Semiconductor Center Will be a Big Win for Jobs
Wyden says Oregon’s selection to house a research center will be a ‘big win for jobs, national security, and building stronger industry’ to compete with China as a major semiconductor manufacturing force.
See also: 1,300 Intel Layoffs Planned At Hillsboro Campus
In a written statement last week, Intel said Oregon had the strongest ecosystem for an NSTC facility, and that the state was ‘uniquely positioned to help drive technological advancements’ in the industry.
As the largest and most advanced semiconductor manufacturer in the U.S., Intel was the focal point of efforts by the Biden administration to restore the country as a leading chip manufacturer.
Another strong supporter of the semiconductor advocacy group is Oregon Governor, Tina Kotek who is preparing to incorporate 373 acres of rural land in Hillsboro into Portland’s urban boundaries to house the research hub. Kotek only has until the end of this year to implement her plan in terms of state legislation.
Trump’s Election Has Complicated the Issue
Trump’s election to the presidency earlier this week has complicated the issue, according to anonymous sources.
Trump was critical of the CHIPS Act during his campaign, and sources believe he could even reverse the Biden administration’s decision to award the research and development hubs to Democratic states – New York, California, and possibly Oregon.
See also: Agriculturists Could Hamper Oregon’s Bid to Become a High-Tech Industry Research Hub
Sources say that Arizona and Texas have also submitted strong bids for the third research hub and that their selection would ensure the backing of the Trump administration in future years.
The NSTC focuses on semiconductor research and development and was established by the government’s CHIPS Act with funding from the Department of Commerce.