Gov. Doug Burgum says state will support, assist Grand Forks in finding another ag project

GRAND FORKS — Gov. Doug Burgum on Tuesday stated he agrees with stopping the proposed Fufeng Group corn mill from constructing close to Grand Forks and stated the state will assist town to find one other agribusiness challenge.

The governor was amongst a handful of state lawmakers who both issued statements or mentioned the challenge with a Discussion board Information Service reporter based mostly on the state Capitol. The feedback got here within the wake of a letter despatched to U.S. Sen. John Hoeven from Division of Air Pressure consultant Andrew P. Hunter, who declared the Fufeng challenge “a big risk to nationwide safety.”

Burgum, who has supported the challenge previously, stated the letter is sufficient to halt building of the manufacturing facility, which has possession ties to China.

“As we stated beforehand, our high precedence is the safety of our residents and our nation. We joined with metropolis leaders in asking the federal authorities for readability on any nationwide safety implications associated to the Fufeng challenge, and now we lastly have that readability,” Burgum stated in an announcement. “The U.S. Air Pressure has said that its ‘view is unambiguous: the proposed challenge presents a big risk to nationwide safety with each near- and long-term dangers of serious impacts to our operations within the space.’ Given these issues, we assist the choice by town of Grand Forks to provoke steps to cease the challenge with Fufeng Group and can assist town to find one other companion for a corn milling operation.”

The Fufeng challenge was publicly introduced in November 2021, however resulted in months of controversy as issues grew about its possession ties to China, environmental issues — together with water utilization — and threats to nationwide safety, contemplating its proximity to Grand Forks Air Pressure Base.

When it was introduced,

the Herald reported it might probably end in greater than 230 jobs on the plant

, with one other 500 extra oblique jobs anticipated. The plant was to be a “moist corn milling” facility, owned by Fufeng Group Restricted, and will eat as a lot as 25 million bushels of corn as soon as it reached peak operations. Initially, it was anticipated to open in 2024 or 2025 on 370 acres simply north of city.

By January 2022, opponents have been filling seats at Metropolis Council conferences,

urging the council to not observe by way of on the challenge

.

Burgum initially referred to as the Fufeng challenge a “large alternative” for farmers and employees within the area. In July, nonetheless,

the governor joined others in searching for a federal evaluate of the challenge

. The Committee on International Funding in the US ultimately stated it doesn’t have jurisdiction within the matter.

“We ask that this evaluate course of be accomplished with the utmost urgency to help Grand Forks officers of their decision-making course of and supply readability on whether or not this land buy has nationwide safety implications,” Burgum wrote in his name for the federal evaluate.

By August, some lawmakers have been publicly saying they have been towards the challenge. U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, each of whom are Republicans from North Dakota,

suggested town to maneuver away from the Fufeng challenge

. Different nationwide lawmakers — significantly Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida — started questioning the challenge as effectively.

The letter from Hunter

, nonetheless, seems to be the dying knell for Fufeng’s Grand Forks plans.

Hunter, assistant secretary of the Air Pressure for acquisition, expertise and logistics, harassed the Air Pressure’s stance on the China-based firm.

“Whereas (a evaluate by the Committee of International Funding in the US just lately) concluded that it doesn’t have jurisdiction, the (Division of the Air Pressure’s) view is unambiguous: the proposed challenge presents a big risk to nationwide safety with each near- and long-term dangers of serious impacts to our operations within the space,” Hunter wrote.

It was the primary official assertion from the Air Pressure that confirmed concern about safety points.

Members of the Metropolis Council informed the Herald Tuesday that they do not see how the challenge can now transfer ahead

.

Tuesday, after Hunter declared the challenge a nationwide safety risk, Burgum stated the state will assist town transfer on to different growth alternatives.

“We recognize (Grand Forks Mayor Brandon) Bochenski and metropolis officers for his or her management and proactive due diligence all through this prolonged and sophisticated course of,” Burgum stated. “The state of North Dakota stands prepared to help town in exploring extra alternatives for value-added agriculture. As our farmers who compete in world markets know, agriculture is a worldwide enterprise, and North Dakota welcomes funding from home firms and our mates and allies.”

Sen. Scott Meyer, R-Grand Forks, stated he needs the Air Pressure’s place on Fufeng had been launched months in the past as a result of it might have helped native leaders make choices on the challenge.

He applauded the Air Pressure for “giving us a greater thought of what we’re up towards,” and famous that Hunter’s letter is “an absolute game-changer” that ought to sink the challenge.

“Nationwide safety is extra necessary than financial growth, in my view,” Meyer stated.

Meyer recommended Bochenski’s choice to again away from the challenge after studying of the Hunter letter. He additionally stated he hopes the neighborhood will entice “value-added ag” enterprises that include much less baggage.

Rep. Steve Vetter, R-Grand Forks, stated he was “by no means a giant fan” of the Fufeng challenge due to the nationwide safety implications and the proposed plant’s pure fuel utilization. If the Air Pressure’s opposition offers a dying blow to the challenge, Vetter stated he’s simply tremendous with that.

Rep. Larry Klemin, a Bismarck Republican who

proposed a invoice

to ban international governments from shopping for North Dakota agricultural land, stated Grand Forks retracting its assist for the challenge “appears like a superb consequence.”

The longtime lawmaker stated his Fufeng-inspired laws goals to stop the nation’s adversaries, together with China, from buying farmland sooner or later.