New Albany a city in rural Ohio is set to become home to the largest private investment in state history—a development that could change the face of a neighboring agricultural township forever. During a festive press conference on Jan. 21, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger announced plans for two $20 billion microchip plants that will cover 1,000 acres in the city of New Albany in Licking County. Intel plans to break ground later this year for the plants that will employ 3,000 people and create 7,000 construction jobs. The first plant is projected to be completed in 2025. Supply chain issues stemming from workforce shortages and the impacts of the pandemic have caused drastic microchip shortages across the United States and the world in recent months. Intel selected Ohio for the plants because it has 60 percent of the U.S. population within one day’s drive, the …