BURLINGTON — Federal funding to help launch a $1.9 billion computer chip manufacturing complex in rural Coffey County has been denied, the Coffey County Republican reported.
County officials announced the bad news at their May 19 meeting.
In February 2023, EMP Shield announced its plans to construct a semiconductor manufacturing facility, creating a ripple effect across Southeast Kansas, including Allen Community College who under then-President Bruce Moses said it would be a partner in workforce training.
EMP Shield had planned to build its facility on a 300-acre parcel near Beto Junction, dubbed the Silicon Prairie Industrial Park. The microchip manufacturer and its subsidiary businesses were projected to create more than 1,200 jobs with an average salary of $66,000.
Wade Bowie, Coffey County counselor, said local officials were given no explanation as to why the funds, which Congress appropriated under the CHIPS Act, were denied, other than federal priorities had shifted.
Jenny Tatman, economic development director for the county, said interest in the industrial park remains strong, including a recent inquiry from a solar panel manufacturing firm for a 275-acre site, the Republican reported.
County commissioners also discussed the development potential of county-owned land near its airport, which has existing infrastructure.
