Biden signs law exempting semiconductor plants from environmental reviews
By: Rachel Frazin (The Hill)
Liberal idealism falls by the wayside when a Democratic President needs something built. Republicans and conservative can whine about regulatory barriers all they want; Democrats love that shit. But when those regulations shut down Democrats' political wins, those regulations are quietly set aside as if no one will notice.
Just another example of Democrat duplicity.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
President Biden on Wednesday signed legislation exempting semiconductor manufacturing facilities from environmental reviews — despite objections from some Democrats and green activists who have expressed concerns about the potential for toxic waste.
The White House statement saying that Biden signed the bill did not contain any other commentary.
The legislation specifically exempts semiconductor manufacturing facilities that receive federal funding from environmental reviews.
Proponents say this will allow for a faster build-out of key sectors including climate-friendly energy sources.
Opponents warn that the exemption hampers opportunities for communities to weigh in on the release of potentially hazardous chemicals that make such technology possible.
Shortly before the White House announced that Biden signed the bill, environmental and public health groups put out a press release urging the president to veto it.
They particularly raised concerns about the industry's use of PFAS, substances that persist in the environment instead of breaking down and have been linked to a range of health issues including some cancers.
"This bill would remove the last remaining federal lever to assess the impact of massive semiconductor fabs on drinking water, air quality, climate change, and community health," said Harry Manin, deputy legislative director for industrial policy at Sierra Club, in a written statement.
The bill unanimously passed the Senate late last year. It moved quickly through the House without receiving a committee hearing in the lower chamber.
However, it did meet some resistance in the House, receiving a 257-125 vote. In a "Dear Colleague" letter last month, the top Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce; Natural Resources; and Science, Space and Technology committees urged a "no" vote.
Democratic supporters of the legislation argue that it will bolster technological innovation.
"Last year Congress made historic investments in our microchip industry that are supercharging innovation in San Diego and around the country," said Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) in a statement last month. "I look forward to celebrating when the President signs this historic bipartisan legislation to supercharge domestic chip manufacturing. "
In 2022, Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act, which put $280 billion into building, expanding and modernizing semiconductor manufacturing.
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But regulations are necessary to protect the public, the economy, and the global world order. Except when regulations interfere with Democrats' scoring political points.
Democrats will protect you from everything -- except Democrats. A win at any cost is a win, now eat your peas.
Our friends on the left won’t make the connection. They are not capable of doing do so. It would blow up their little fantasy world.
And that's what's happening here. Our military is dependent upon high tech chips, a huge portion of which our most powerful adversary could and may take away from us. Building these plants is a matter of national security and needs to be done yesterday. Waving restrictions isn’t going to generate an even measurable portion of the pollution that waving CAFE standards or not encouraging the use EVs would. The government protects in many ways and is doing that by making an eminently practical choice here with virtually no consequences.
What is being waived are permitting requirements. The paper review required before any construction can begin has been a burden that discourages investment in manufacturing. Joe Biden is employing Trump's Warp Speed approach by cutting the red tape that hinders the start of a project.
As to military dependence upon supply chains controlled by adversaries -- thank you neoliberals. That was the whole point of Bill Clinton's public/private partnership approach. The national security of the United States was destroyed just so Clinton could gift the national treasury to the global financial sector. Hasn't your 401k performed well? Don't you want to cut costs on the supply side so your 401k and IRA works for you?
So then you're agreeing that the move is correct, and that the seed is silly.
If you're going to attempt deflection, try to stick to this century and also to point to something that actually happened.
i sorta recall a recent Republican potus braggin about how some new vaccine somehow got approved without all the normal avenues followed, as if we even had achoice with what was hang in in the balance.
i look at this the same weigh, for the weight of some things, is weigh more important, than say , say others. Others.
And it worked so well that Joe Biden has taken credit for it. Yes, Biden is employing Trump's Warp Speed approach. But, in Biden's case, Congress passed legislation that typically would have been vetoed by a Democrat President.
So, Biden is taking credit for something Trump did while being able to scapegoat Congress. What a guy!
Semiconductor factories are amazing. I don’t care how toxic-wastey they may or not be, they deserve to be celebrated, and to have the flexibility to produce the magic they are capable of.