Copyright Charleston Post and Courier
FORT MILL — Air quality monitoring will continue over the next few years for a newly opened elementary school near a solar panel manufacturer’s factory under construction, Fort Mill School District officials and an environmental consultant said at a forum Oct. 21. But parents in attendance said they ultimately don’t want Silfab Solar building its plant adjacent to the school property, and they expressed discontent that the school board’s plans have been limited to monitoring and emergency preparedness. “Last year, I told the board that we simply cannot accept that mitigation or emergency responses are suitable when Silfab’s proposed use is prohibited for that location,” said Brandon Langford, wearing a “Move Silfab” T-shirt, at the forum. Flint Hill Elementary School opened in August with Flint Hill Middle School, located next door, set to open at the start of the 2026 school year. Little separates the school property from the industrial business park where Silfab is leasing property for its factory, which could also open next year. The two schools are along the north side of Gold Hill Road, just east of Interstate 77. Residents have complained to York County that solar panel manufacturing should not be permitted in the light-industrial zone where Silfab will operate. They’re concerned about either long-term exposure risk or the threat of an explosive disaster from the plant, which will use silane and hydrochloric acid in its manufacturing process. Fort Mill school officials have frequently said they will not comment on the zoning dispute regarding Silfab’s property. The school district hosted the forum to present plans by environmental consultant Citadel EHS for an environmental health and safety assessment for the schools. Citadel officials said they took air samples last summer to establish a baseline for air quality before Silfab opens. Testing will continue every three months. Citadel is also coordinating emergency protocols and coordination between the school district, Silfab and York County. The hourlong information forum was held at Nation Ford High School. A question period was held, though several speakers used their time to make statements and pose challenges to the board instead. When the meeting ended, some attendees drove to the school board’s 6:30 p.m. meeting to continue voicing opposition to Silfab. Move Silfab, a community group organized in the last few years to protest Silfab’s plans, continues its organizing with an information session at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at Antioch International Church, 453 Glynwood Forest Drive in Fort Mill. Ahead of the informational forum, Move Silfab posted a four-minute video online critical of the school board’s actions across the last two years, featuring clips from school board and York County Council meetings. Schools spokesman Joseph Burke said the district had no comment on the video, titled “Ignored Warnings: How Fort Mill’s School Board Failed to Protect Kids.”
