The Fort Mill School District Board of Trustees has escalated its response to recent chemical leaks at the Silfab Solar facility, formally calling on state and local leaders to permanently strip the plant of its hazardous manufacturing capabilities.
In a resolution signed Tuesday, March 10, the Board declared that the large-scale storage and use of dangerous chemicals at the site is incompatible with the surrounding educational environment. The facility sits adjacent to Flint Hill Elementary School and the future site of Flint Hill Middle School, collectively serving a portion of the district’s 18,000 students and 2,500 employees.
The Board’s resolution highlighted a breakdown in communication during two recent chemical release incidents. According to the document, neither York County Emergency Management nor Silfab Solar initially reported the leaks to the school district.
The resulting safety concerns forced the closure of Flint Hill Elementary for multiple days. Trustees noted that these closures inflicted “learning loss” on students and increased fear among parents, staff, and the broader community.
The resolution points to a recent ruling by the York County Board of Zoning Appeals, which found that Silfab’s current manufacturing operations violate the requirements for a Light Industrial Zone.
The Board of Trustees is now formally requesting that Governor Henry McMaster, the South Carolina General Assembly, Attorney General Alan Wilson, and York County Council take the following actions:
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Restrict Operations: Limit the facility strictly to non-hazardous assembly processes.
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Remove Chemicals: Order the immediate removal of all hazardous chemicals currently on-site.
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Enforce Zoning: Ensure the facility operates in strict accordance with its light industrial designation.
The resolution, signed by Board Chairwoman Kristy Spears and Superintendent Grey Young, serves as an official plea to higher authorities. It underscores the district’s legal obligation to provide safe facilities and argues that the current industrial activity poses an ongoing threat to the well-being of the student body.
The facility currently remains under a state-mandated “cease operations” order from the Department of Environmental Services while investigations into the recent leaks continue.
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