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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Micron Workers Nix Expanding In Boise

From Staff And Wire Reports

A supermajority of Micron Technology Inc.’s work force told the company it should not locate its $1.3 billion expansion in Boise.

In a survey of most of its 5,800 workers, 73 percent told Micron to look elsewhere for a site to place a new semiconductor manufacturing plant and 3,500 jobs, Micron spokesman Kipp Bedard said Tuesday.

Workers cited traffic congestion and other shortcomings of more growth in their hometown.

Bedard said the inability to handle growth beyond what already is in the works played a role in Micron’s decision to eliminate Boise as it narrowed a list of 13 potential sites to three.

The finalists announced Monday for the new plant are Oklahoma City, Okla.; Omaha, Neb.; and Utah’s Utah County. Besides Boise, the short list bypassed Kootenai County, Nampa and the Twin FallsJerome area in Idaho.

Micron still plans to add about 1,200 jobs in Boise and Nampa.