Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
Mayors across the country are launching a task force Tuesday to help implement the CHIPS and Science Act, Commerce Department officials told Axios.
Why it matters: CHIPS is a massive, multibillion-dollar undertaking that requires streamlined and effective communication to avoid waste, fraud and abuse.
State of play: Mayors in the task force are already involved in facilitating the chip industry's supply chain in their cities and regions.
- The group will provide mayors in other key cities opportunities for collaboration to address supply chain issues and scale effective strategies for sustainable chip industry development.
The task force will include:
- Cities with large-scale wafer production or supply chain footprints so that equipment makers, materials and component suppliers, and gas and chemical providers are included.
- Cities with the potential to attract investment for building fabs and developing semiconductor industry clusters.
- Cities with innovation ecosystems, customers or adjacent industries in, for example, clean energy or advanced manufacturing.
- Mayors with demonstrated CHIPS interest.
What they're saying: Boise Mayor Lauren McLean, chair of the task force, said "semiconductors power our lives. And increasingly, manufacturing them can power our cities' economies."
- U.S. Conference of Mayors president and Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve, who appointed McLean, said, "through this forum, mayors will share best practices and strategies on how each city is approaching the rapid growth and development coming from this landmark law."
- Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo: "Implementing the CHIPS and Science Act is a whole-of-government effort and mayors are a valuable partner in that work because they know their communities' needs better than anyone."
