The following is a press release received from the Fort Mill School District. No changes were made prior to being made available to the public.
The Fort Mill School District obtained a copy of the third-party report submitted to SCDES by Silfab Solar on September 28, 2026, and reviewed York County’s public response to the report. This third-party report was required under the Consent Agreement signed by Silfab following two chemical incidents at its facility in March 2026.
Based on the reports findings and York County’s response, the district is taking the following actions:
State Intervention: We join Representative Martin in urging Governor McMaster to direct SCDES and Attorney General Alan Wilson to:
o Conduct a comprehensive state review.
o Block chemical deliveries and site commissioning activities.
o Mandate an independent Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) study.
o Require DES personnel to witness and certify testing outside of school hours.
o Conduct joint emergency response exercises.
o Verify all environmental and operational permits.
o Require continuous fence-line air monitoring.
o Negotiate relocating Silfab’s manufacturing operations to an appropriately zoned heavy industrial
area.
o Investigate official conduct and zoning law enforcement.
Regulatory Oversight:
o Request that SCDES independently verify the reports findings and inspect the facility to ensure all identified safety issues and violations are fully resolved before any future operations begin.
o Request that York County investigate the issues and violations identified in the report to determine if any infractions constitute a violation of the certificate of occupancy or permits issued by York County.
Communication Agreement:
o Request that a formal communication agreement be created and signed by the Fort Mill School District, York County Emergency Management, SCDES, and Silfab. This agreement will require immediate notification to the district regarding any non-emergency or emergency incidents at the Silfab site that could impact daily school operations at any district facility.
Legal Action:
o At the appropriate time, petition the court for permission to file an amicus brief in the appeal of Judge William McKinnon’s ruling affirming the York County Board of Zoning Appeals decision or in any other relevant legal proceedings.
o Continue working with legal counsel to evaluate all additional legal avenues available to the district.
The district remains committed to using every option within our authority to safeguard the health, safety, and well- being of our students, staff, and school communities.
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