Rep. Nick Langworthy (NY-23) has introduced the Infrastructure Project Acceleration Act, a federal bill aimed at eliminating environmental permitting delays for major manufacturing projects in states like New York. The legislation comes as Micron faces extended review timelines for its multi-billion-dollar semiconductor facility planned in Central New York.
The bill, co-led by Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA), seeks to exempt projects in states with environmental standards equal to or stricter than the federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) from additional federal review. New York, California, and Massachusetts are the only states that would qualify for the exemption.
“Bureaucratic red tape is the enemy of economic growth and job creation,” said Langworthy. “By simply streamlining duplicative reviews, this bill will ensure that companies like Micron and other manufacturers avoid unnecessary construction delays.”
Despite existing permitting provisions under the Building Chips in America Act, Micron is currently subject to both state and federal environmental impact statements—unlike other semiconductor companies in less-regulated states. The Infrastructure Project Acceleration Act would allow New York’s own environmental review process to suffice, reducing barriers that threaten Micron’s construction timeline.
“This is not about cutting corners—it’s about common sense,” said Rep. Claudia Tenney (NY-24), a cosponsor of the bill. “The Infrastructure Project Acceleration Act simplifies New York’s onerous environmental review process to allow Micron to avoid a lengthy construction timeline.”
Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17) added that the bill aligns with national security goals. “Increasing our domestic production capacity is a national security priority. By aligning state and federal processes, we’re supporting the continued growth of innovation and job creation in New York.”
Representative John Mannion (NY-22), whose district includes the proposed Micron site, said the bill is essential to maximizing the project’s potential. “Micron’s historic investment in Central New York is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform our region’s economy,” he said.
Supporters of the bill argue that it balances efficiency with environmental integrity by allowing the lead federal agency to verify the adequacy of state-level protections. The exemption would apply narrowly to the few states already operating under stringent environmental laws.
Rep. Mike Collins praised the effort to boost domestic manufacturing. “We need to do everything we can in Congress to remove the bureaucratic red tape that is holding our nation’s manufacturing sector back,” he said.
With bipartisan support from several New York lawmakers, the bill aims to speed up the timeline for Micron’s four-fab chip plant and ensure the broader success of semiconductor manufacturing in the state.
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