Update 5:20 PM
The U-S Air Force has come out against the proposed Fufeng corn milling plant in Grand Forks for security reasons.
A letter to North Dakota U-S Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer from the office of the assistant secretary of the Air Force said in part… that while the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) concluded that it had no jurisdiction, the Air Force believes the project presents “a significant threat to national security with both near- and long-term risks of significant impacts to our operations in the area.”
Fufeng bought land in Grand Forks to build a corn milling plant about 12 miles from the Grand Forks Air Force Base.
Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski issued a statement saying he is asking the City Council to approve the project’s termination… including refusing to connect industrial infrastructure… and denial of building permits. Bochenski noted that Fufeng still legally owns the land.
Grand Forks Council President Dana Sande had been a strong supporter of the project despite controversy over Fufeng’s ties to China.
This (Tue) afternoon, Sande said: “I’m very surprised that the Air Force took this long to make a public statement. I’m glad they gave a definitive statement, and so now we can just move on.”
Sande added: “I’m certainly not in position to argue with them (Air Force) and I won’t be supportive of the infrastructure and/or permitting for the corn mill.”
In another statement, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said he supports the city’s decision… and said the state will support the city in finding another partner for a corn milling operation.
= =
Original story:
The U-S Air Force says the proposed Fufeng project in Grand Forks “presents a significant threat to national security with…significant impacts to…operations in the (Grand Forks) area.”
The comment came in a letter received today (Tue) by North Dakota U-S Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer from the office of the assistant secretary of the Air Force.
It said, in part, “While CFIUS (The Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S.)
concluded that it did not have jurisdiction, the Department’s view is unambiguous: the proposed project presents a significant threat to national security with both near- and long-term risks of significant impacts to our operations in the area.”
Fufeng recently bought 370 acres of land to build a wet corn milling plant 12 miles from the Grand Forks Air Force Base. The project has come under scrutiny because of the company’s ties to China.
In a statement, Hoeven and Cramer said city leaders have asked for clarity from leaders in the federal government regarding the project.
They said: “We believe the city should discontinue the Fufeng project and instead we should work together to find an American company to develop the agriculture project.”
= =
Statement from Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski:
“The City of Grand Forks (City) has continued to operate in good faith over the last 16 months of due diligence while awaiting an official response from the Federal Government. Construction was paused during the review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which ultimately concluded that Fufeng USA’s (Project) acquisition of property in the City was not within the jurisdictional purview of the national security agency. The Federal Government has requested the City’s help in stopping the Project as geo-political tensions have greatly increased since the initial announcement of the Project. The only remedies the City has to meet this directive is to refuse to connect industrial infrastructure and deny building permits. As Mayor of the City of Grand Forks, I am requesting these remedies be undertaken and the Project be stopped, pending City Council approval. These actions do not affect the land ownership as the company will still legally own the land they have purchased. The response from the Federal Government during this process can only be viewed as slow and contradictory. This directive leaves open the question of other entities with Chinese connections across the nation, to include Grand Forks’ Cirrus Aircraft site location and Chinese students and professors at the University of North Dakota.
I want to thank Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, and Representative Kelly Armstrong for their continued support throughout the process. Governor Burgum and the State of North Dakota have been great and steadfast partners in the vetting and undertaking of these types of major and challenging projects for the benefit of our great State of North Dakota. I am thankful for the work done by the City to lay out a long and thorough review process that allowed for the utmost due diligence. As always, our commitment to the Grand forks Air Force Base has never been stronger and we look forward to the future.”
= =
Gov. Burgum statement:
Gov. Doug Burgum issued the following statement today in response to a letter from the U.S. Air Force citing a “significant threat to national security” from the proposed Fufeng Group corn milling project in Grand Forks. The letter, sent to U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, states the Air Force’s concerns about the project.
“As we said previously, our top priority is the security of our citizens and our nation. We joined with city leaders in asking the federal government for clarity on any national security implications related to the Fufeng project, and now we finally have that clarity. The U.S. Air Force has stated that its ‘view is unambiguous: the proposed project presents a significant threat to national security with both near- and long-term risks of significant impacts to our operations in the area.’ Given these concerns, we support the decision by the City of Grand Forks to initiate steps to stop the project with Fufeng Group and will support the city in finding another partner for a corn milling operation. We appreciate Mayor Bochenski and city officials for their leadership and proactive due diligence throughout this lengthy and complex process. The State of North Dakota stands ready to assist the city in exploring additional opportunities for value-added agriculture. As our farmers who compete in global markets know, agriculture is a global business, and North Dakota welcomes investment from domestic companies and our friends and allies.”
= =
Hoeven/Cramer release:
Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer today issued the following statement after receiving a letter from the U.S. Air Force detailing its official position on the Fufeng project in Grand Forks. Fufeng Group, a Chinese food manufacturer, recently purchased 370 acres of land to construct a wet corn milling plant 12 miles from the Grand Forks Air Force Base.
As the Air Force states in their letter issued today:
· “Grand Forks Air Force Base is the center of military activities related to both air and space operations.”
· “While CFIUS concluded that it did not have jurisdiction, the Department’s view is unambiguous: the proposed project presents a significant threat to national security with both near- and long-term risks of significant impacts to our operations in the area.”
“City leaders have asked for clarity from leaders in the federal government regarding the Fufeng project. The Air Force left ambiguity off the table when they said: ‘The proposed project presents a significant threat to national security with both near- and long-term risks of significant impacts to our operations in the area.’ As we have recommended, we believe the city should discontinue the Fufeng project and instead we should work together to find an American company to develop the agriculture project,” said the senators.
FOLLOW US FOR INSTANT UPDATES!
