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Updated
August 5, 2006
Mailing touts benefits of $3.2B chip fab plant
Developers send pamphlet to Saratoga County residents stressing AMD jobs, "green" construction
By LARRY RULISON, Business writer
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First published: Friday, July 28, 2006STILLWATER -- The developers of the Luther Forest Technology Campus mailed an eight-page pamphlet to Saratoga County residents touting the benefits of Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s plan to build a $3.2 billion computer chip plant here.
The mailing is titled, "Questions Asked. Questions Answered. Benefits of the Luther Forest Technology Campus Project."
It is addressed "Dear Neighbor" and is signed by Ken Green, president of the Saratoga Economic Development Corp., the nonprofit group that is marketing Luther Forest, a 1,350-acre tract in Malta and Stillwater.
Luther Forest "will be the largest economic development project in the nation the year it begins development and its benefits will reach every level of our economy," the mailing states.
Efforts to reach Green were unsuccessful Wednesday and Thursday. It is not known how many letters were sent and to whom.
Malta Town Supervisor Paul Sausville said he received a copy. Although it's SEDC's viewpoint, he said it addresses good points.
"These are questions that come up all the time," he said. "I think it's a good effort to communicate with the public."
AMD, a major computer chip manufacturer based in Sunnyvale, Calif., that along with Intel Corp. dominates the integrated circuit market, has agreed to become the first tenant at the location, although the state has an energy technology business park within the Luther Forest footprint.
AMD has signed a nonbinding agreement to build a "chip fab" at Luther Forest after getting $1.2 billion in promises for cash, tax breaks and infrastructure improvements from the state.
The incentives haven't been universally popular, with some critics suggesting ways the money could have been better spent. Increased traffic and worries about chemicals used in the manufacturing process are among their concerns.
The company plans to employ 1,200 people at the site, although the 1.2 million-square-foot factory isn't expected to be fully operational until about 2012. Construction won't start until next year at the earliest, although AMD has told investors construction could start as late as 2009 to give the company flexibility in what is an extremely volatile market environment.
Luther Forest can accommodate three other chip fabs and other suppliers as well, and SEDC is working at getting other companies to commit to the site. But SEDC also said AMD could expand its operation to include a second plant.
Much of the mailing is designed to give people a sense of how the AMD project will affect them and what a chip fab is exactly. It also presents its case on why bringing a chip fab to the region is so important. The document seeks to provide some insight into AMD as a company. For instance, one of the 35 "frequently asked questions" wonders whether AMD will be a good corporate citizen.
"Yes. AMD has a well-earned reputation for being a good corporate citizen," the mailing says.
But not everyone living around Luther Forest is looking forward to AMD's presence. Some residents living on roads bordering the property say they're worried about everything from pollution, noise and higher taxes. A few residents also still have "No Factories in the Forest" signs on their lawns, but many in the area say the number has dwindled as the project has moved forward with town approvals.
Bob Washburn, 59, lives on Joyce Road in Stillwater, and his property line abuts the southern end of Luther Forest. He was out watering his large garden Thursday in the sweltering heat. He gets his water from a well, and he is worried about the chemicals that AMD will use.
"That's what I'm worried about here, that they're going to leave a lagoon full of chemicals and then they're going to leave," Washburn said.
The SEDC mailing says that "the fabs will be constructed using 'green' design practices and incorporate emission control technologies that will go above and beyond regulatory minimums." It goes on to note that the industry "is pioneering new processes and technologies" to reduce its impact on the environment.
Harold Howe, 61, another Joyce Road resident, said he has been opposed to development of Luther Forest. But he is glad that AMD only has plans to build one chip fab now, which he says will reduce the impact on residents.
Howe is still worried about a number of issues, including high taxes and the impact on the water supply. "Suppose they pollute our water; that's our main concern," Howe said. "This is not a brownfield, this is a pristine forest. They are going to change our quality of life. They really are."
Gone is one group organized to oppose the technology park's creation. The Coalition for Responsible Growth was led by Linda Cepiel and Andrea Austin. Austin no longer lives in New York. Cepiel couldn't be reached for comment. The Web site is no longer operational.
Larry Rulison can be reached at 454-5504 or by e-mail at lrulison@timesunion.com.
Awaiting AMD
A mailing to Saratoga County residents about the Luther Forest Technology Campus and AMD's plans for a $3.2 billion plant included these questions and answers:
Q: Will there be only one plant or will there be additional investment?
A: While we cannot predict future decisions by the company, AMD has wisely purchased enough property in the Luther Forest Technology Campus to expand their operation to include a second plant in the area ...
Q: Aside from the workers at the plant, will other jobs be created by the plant's operation?
A: Yes. It's a 3:1 ratio. For every employee that works in a chip manufacturing facility, three jobs are created or needed outside the plant to support operations...
Q: Are these high-paying jobs?
A: High-tech industry jobs are some of the highest paying in the nation. The average salary for a chip plant worker is between $50K and $70K a year...
Q: Will there be tall smokestacks?
A: No. All construction for the fab will be restricted in height to ensure there are no visual impacts on the landscape ...
Source: Saratoga Economic Development Corp.
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