North Central PA gets manufacturing grant from Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act

Rural communities in North Central Pennsylvania are going to benefit from President Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act. The region received a $400,000 grant to manufacture materials needed to make microchips and processors. 

Pennsylvania’s Northern Tier received a substantial investment from the federal government on Monday.

US Sen. Bob Casey announced on Monday that the North Central Pressed Materials Strategy Development Consortium received a $400,000 grant thanks to the Tech Hubs Strategy Development Grant program created by President Joe Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act.

According to Casey’s office, the grant will help position North Central Pennsylvania as a leader in the pressed materials industry, which is critical in the manufacturing of microchips and processors.

“I fought for this award to help North Central Pennsylvania realize its potential as a manufacturing powerhouse,” Casey said in a statement.

“When we invest in Pennsylvania’s rural communities, we create jobs in communities that were long underserved, grow local economies, and lead the way to our Nation’s economic future,” he added.

The press release describes North Central Pennsylvania as “uniquely positioned” to lead the pressed materials manufacturing sector because the area contains close to one-third of the world’s powered metallurgy and carbon manufacturing facilities.

Monday’s grant announcement for North Central Pennsylvania was part of a broader announcement for the CHIPS and Science Act.

The Biden Administration announced that 31 cities, including Philadelphia and the surrounding counties, were designated as Tech Hubs by the Department of Commerce.

Casey’s office described the Tech Hubs program as an economic development initiative aimed at accelerating growth in technology sectors and adding high-paying jobs that come with it in cities and communities across the country.