Micron's construction plans continue to evolve. The chip plant coming to Onondaga County is said to be the largest private investment in the state's history.

In a media call held Tuesday, Micron officials discussed some specifics of the upcoming environmental review process and more.

“The industry started about 50 years ago and it took 50 years for it to go from zero to a $500-billion-a-year industry. It's going to take 10 years to go from $500 billion to a trillion. So that’s why we need to make these massive investments, and why its important to do it in the U.S.," said Carson Henry, senior director at Micron.

The next major step in Micron coming to Central New York is an environmental impact study, a process that's expected to take at least a year.

“It’s a critical step for the project, for the funding of the project, for the future safety of those working inside the facility, but also for the surrounding community," said David Sonnenfeld, emeritus professor of environmental studies at SUNY ESF.

Formal scoping begins in the fall.

“That scoping is a very critical first step in figuring out what exactly for those who are doing the assessment will undertake," said Sonnenfeld.

Topics in the study include traffic, air quality, noise, wetlands and more. They have also begun monitoring the ambient noise level in the area of White Pine. Sonnenfeld hopes they consider a few other areas in the study.

“Areas such as chemical use and storage; also, disaster planning and public safety kinds of considerations," said Sonnenfeld.

It's expected that once all four fabs are functioning, 48 million gallons of water will be used per day. Micron says they plan to use 100% resorted, recycled and reused water.

“In semiconductor manufacturing, there are rare gases that are utilized, there are solvents, and knowing exactly which materials are being used, some of them are regulated some of them may not be regulated," said Sonnenfeld.

Micron also plans to get input from local environmental justice groups. After scoping, there will be a public comment session on the scoping to discuss the project. Then, the initial environmental impact statement will be released early next year, with further steps expected to wrap up by the end of 2024.

A Micron open house is set for 6 p.m. Aug. 1 in the North Syracuse Junior High School. Spanish and ASL interpretation will be available.