If we build the pads, they will come
Pennsylvania has the assets to create a winning economy: world-class research and development institutions, leading industry sectors primed for continued growth and a strong talent generation as the third largest producer of STEM graduates across peer states.
Even so, the stark truth is while these assets are necessary, they are not sufficient for achieving economic growth and job creation, especially given today’s competitive landscape. To compete, Pennsylvania needs to invest.
Ready sites
One area where we know such investment will pay dividends for southwestern Pennsylvania is in readying sites, especially large pads of land, for business expansion and location.
Today’s economic development opportunities — many of them fueled by unprecedented levels of federal funding — require large sites with the utilities and infrastructure in place. To lead where we know we can — in innovation, manufacturing and commercialization of products from energy and batteries to semiconductors and more – we need to invest in site preparation, or we risk losing out.
Thankfully, the Shapiro administration and our state elected officials have answered the call. The new state economic development strategy and a proposed budget that includes funding initiatives, enhanced programs and streamlined permitting processes, if implemented, can position Pennsylvania to compete for business investment with peer states – and win.
Throughout the past year, our state leaders have been focused on prioritizing strategic investments and improving government processes to support business growth and investment. One such pilot initiative is the Pennsylvania Strategic Investments to Enhance Sites Program (PA SITES), aimed at making sure Pennsylvania has the sites available to support business expansion and attraction.
When the program opened last year, it was so well received that it became oversubscribed, almost immediately, confirming the need for more investment.
Reimagining the land
In response, the administration recently proposed a 2024-2025 budget that includes $500 million in PA SITES funding for more commercial and industrial sites statewide. Through PA SITES, Pennsylvania’s numerous greenfields and brownfields, as well as existing industrial parks, can be reimagined to attract job- creating companies in highgrowth industries.
Making sites shovel-ready requires substantial investment, and we applaud the governor’s budget and his call for sufficient funding for site development. It is an investment in our state’s infrastructure, helping to close the divide between site availability and its development for profitability.
Pennsylvania’s call for site investment is against a backdrop of fierce competition. In neighboring Ohio, Intel is investing more than $20 billion in constructing two new chip factories to meet the demand for advanced semiconductors, supporting robust job creation and economic development.
Under New York’s FAST NY Shovel-Ready Grant Program, Empire State Development will provide up to $200 million in grants for site development statewide, especially semiconductor manufacturing, and in January, Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced $87.5 million in grant funding through the Strategic Site Readiness Program and then selected 18 projects across the state as an opportunity to further business attraction and expansion.
We should be winning
A robust PA SITES program will increase our inventory of ready sites, expedite landing deals and usher in a new wave of investment in advanced manufacturing, energy, life sciences, robotics and AI — all industries where we have a competitive advantage and should be winning. But without adequate funding and pad-ready sites, we’ll lose deals and miss out on the jobs that come with them.
We ask the Shapiro administration and the General Assembly to work together on both sides of the aisle to move the PA SITES program forward, as it incentivizes businesses in growth mode to put their stake in Pennsylvania.