The clock is ticking for New Yorkers who want a say in the building of Micron Technology’s anticipated chip-manufacturing megasite.

With the release of a long-awaited Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) comes a 45-day public comment period.

The report consists of nearly 20,000 pages – about 445 pages a day in reading if you want to finish it by the end of the public comment period.

That’s prompting some members of the community to say they need more time with the material. Organizers on Thursday filed and delivered a petition.

“Make Micron do right!”

“Make Micron do right!!!”

That’s what community advocates from Central New York are calling for after reviewing the DEIS for Micron’s upcoming chipmaking facility in Clay. The construction of the plant, according to the DEIS, will have significant environmental impacts on the region.

“We have to make Micron do right by our communities,” community organizer Hilary-Anne Coppola said.

They say the average person is going to need more than 45 days to read through and digest the report.

“There’s absolutely no way any member of the general public without expertise in every topic that is approached in this topic could possibly do that,” Coppola said.

They’re calling instead for 120 days to go through the document and for additional public hearings.

“Agencies just announced yesterday they’re going to hold three public hearings, but it’s all on the same day. It’s not enough,” Coppola said.

Concerns include losing important ecosystems like wetlands.

“Wetlands are essential for human and wildlife health. They are where biological wealth is concentrated,” plant ecologist Catherine Landis said.

Another concern is toxic “forever chemicals” seeping into the water.

“I think it should be on Micron to say ‘we are not going to discharge any PFAS, what comes out the pipe is gonna be devoid of PFAS,’” said Donald Hughes, environmental chemist.

…And hurting the region’s lakes and waterways.

“The runoff from the Micron facility will increase road salt, automotive oil and other pollutants into the downstream waters,” said Maddy Nyblade, hydrology scientist.

A petition with over 16,000 was delivered to the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency requesting more review time so that citizens can make their voices and concerns heard.

“It didn’t start today and it didn’t end today,” Coppola said. “And the struggle to protect ourselves from industries running wild where we live is a struggle that’s going to have to continue.”

In addition to pushing for more time to review the environmental report, the advocates also launched a community vision for Micron. It encourages the protection of not only the environment, but community and workforce protections as well.

Within the DEIS, there are plans to mitigate those issues. These advocates, however, say that it’s not enough.