GRAND FORKS – A day after the U.S. Department of the Air Force declared that the proposed Fufeng USA project in Grand Forks presents a “significant threat to national security,” city officials are looking ahead rather than back.

What isn’t known, however, is what Fufeng plans to do.

“Yesterday was a tough day and we’re going to work through all these tough days and look for the next opportunity,” City Administrator Todd Feland told the Herald Wednesday. “We did the very best we could regarding Fufeng development and we’ll do that for every development that happens across the city of Grand Forks.”

After 14 months of discussion, planning and controversy, the proposed corn mill to be owned by China-based Fufeng Group on Tuesday hit what appears to be an insurmountable hurdle. In a letter to Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., Andrew P. Hunter, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, stressed the Air Force’s stance on the China-based company.

“While (a review by the Committee of Foreign Investment in the United States recently) concluded that it does not have jurisdiction, the (Department of the Air Force’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,” Hunter wrote.

It was the first time the Air Force made an official and declarative comment on what prior to Tuesday were perceived – and not confirmed – security threats posed by Fufeng project. Grand Forks Air Force Base is just a short distance down Highway 2 from where the plant purchased land.

Feland said the city will continue to work on other development projects, including the Epitome Energy soybean crushing facility, which was publicly announced in December. That project is still in the early development stages.

A call to Fufeng USA Chief Operating Officer Eric Chutorash was not returned on Wednesday. Feland had a brief conversation with Chutorash on Tuesday, saying Chutorash was “professional (and) dignified in the moment, despite the challenging message that we had to deliver to him. I think with that there'll be more discussion to come.”

https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/north-dakota/grand-forks-city-leaders-looking-forward-following-air-forces-official-stance-on-fufeng-project