Rep. Slaughter Looking to Bring New Manufacturing Institute to Rochester
Updated: 10/03/2014 6:47 PM
Created: 10/03/2014 6:03 PM WHEC.com
Congresswoman Louise Slaughter says a big boost to the local economy could be coming to our area.
Rep. Slaughter was in Rochester on Friday to announce a $200 million pledge from the federal government.
The Obama administration has launched a competition to award $200 million from private and public funds to create a new Institute for Manufacturing Innovation.
It would focus on advances in generating, amplifying, and transmitting light waves. With strengths in nanotechnology and optics, we're told Rochester is in a position to land the award.
"There is no higher skilled workforce and this is not new," says Rep. Slaughter. "It's always been Rochester being one of the leaders in the skilled workforce and when it comes to photonics there’s just nobody in our class."
Slaughter says the Department of Defense will award the winner $100 million, which will be matched by $100 million in private investment to build that institute.