Patience is a virtue, and Spokane County Commissioner Al French wants the region to keep that front of mind while waiting on a nearly $50 million federal investment in an Inland Northwest aerospace manufacturing hub.
On Friday, the Trump administration announced the cancellation of a $48 million grant awarded to the Spokane-Couer d'Alene area, alongside grants in five other regions awarded as part of the U.S. Department of Commerce Tech Hubs program. Funding for the program was included in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, a bipartisan bill championed by Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell that devoted $280 billion towards advancing scientific research and manufacturing to keep the U.S. competitive internationally.
The local award was intended for the conversion of the former Triumph Composite Systems Inc. facility in Airway Heights into a one-of-a-kind manufacturing facility - the first in the nation to produce, on a large scale, advanced thermoplastic materials that can replace metal to make airplanes lighter and more fuel efficient. French represents the West Plains on the county commission and advocated for the project on the local and federal levels.
The cancellation comes just four months after the award was granted under the Biden administration, stirring disappointment from the region's elected leaders on both sides of the aisle at the local and national level Friday.
French believes the Inland Northwest's discomfort won't last too long, though.
He said the cancellation is not out of line with the Trump administration's broader efforts at the federal level, and that "ultimately, the administration is going to come around and see all the value" of the Spokane-Coeur d'Alene hub.
"They feel like they've come in with a mandate, and they want to try and make sure that programs meet their priorities," French said. "It's unfortunate that it hit the tech hub, but I think as you look at all of the metrics that the Trump administration is trying to accomplish with regard to, whether it's Build America or creating more jobs or more technology, the tech hub does all of those things and some."
In his statement announcing the reversal, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said he intends to release a new call for applications this summer and announce a new round of awards in early 2026.
"It's unfortunate, but I'm more of a long-term guy than a short-term guy," French said. "And I think long-term, this is a good investment for the country, and it's a good investment for Spokane County and the aerospace sector, and will end up surviving any kind of scrutiny that they put it through."