Fort Mill residents are set to rally against a $150 million solar plant near schools due to safety concerns.
FORT MILL, S.C. — Tensions are rising in Fort Mill as residents prepare to rally during the regular Town Council meeting Monday evening, protesting a solar manufacturing facility being built near local neighborhoods and schools.
Silfab Solar, a Canadian company, is behind the $150 million project promising 800 new jobs. However, many locals are alarmed over what they say is the use of hazardous chemicals in the plant’s operations — and its close proximity to two new schools set to open this and next year.
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At the heart of the issue: Whether Silfab’s heavy industrial operations are appropriate for a zone designated as light industrial.
In March, Fort Mill Town Council Vice-Chairman Tom Audette shared community concerns.
“We had three families this week say they put their house on the market or have already sold their house because of having to move their kids away from Silfab,” Audette said.
Many families say they’re worried about long-term health and safety. Some have already listed their homes, while others are waiting to see if public pressure can convince town leaders to force Silfab to relocate.
Marissa Robbins, a local parent, shared her views about how she felt when she found out about the solar plant coming to Fort Mill.
“We said, alright, we have to find a home and it has to be far enough away from Silfab that it won’t be rezoned there,” Robbins said.
Silfab COO Treff MacDonald addressed safety concerns, specifically regarding the use of silane, a gas residents claim could pose combustion risks.
“There is a commentary that silane is highly combustible, and if a car backfires in this lot or a cigarette is exposed, it’s going to happen,” MacDonald said. “No, that’s not the case. It’s a fully contained process from front to back.”
Monday’s meeting is expected to draw a large crowd, as Fort Mill residents continue to push back on what they see as a serious threat to their community’s safety and future.
Contact Richard DeVayne at [email protected] and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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