Grand Forks City Council approves tax breaks for Fufeng Group project after heated citizen input

(Grand Forks,ND) -- Some residents in Grand Forks are collecting signatures aimed at forcing a city-wide vote on the Fufeng Group's proposed corn processing plant.

"Do you guys look at the news? Do you guys see what's going on overseas? Russia, Ukraine, China is on the verge of invading Taiwan.  Do you guys not see this?" asked resident Chris Spicer while speaking against the project.  

Spicer was among several people who spoke in opposition to the $700 million plant during the city council meeting Monday night. During the meeting, the city council voted to approve tax breaks for the project.  But a group of citizens referenced their efforts to collect roughly 4,000 signatures in an effort aimed at allowing citizens to vote on the project. Council members assert the project will bring hundreds of jobs to the city. Some who oppose the project pointed to Fufeng's ties to the Chinese Communist Party while others talked about environmental impacts.