In a scathing formal objection to state environmental regulators, legal counsel for the Fort Mill School District has called for an immediate halt to Silfab Solar, Inc.’s plans to restart chemical commissioning at its local facility, warning that the manufacturer is attempting to fire up operations before completing critical safety and leak-prevention upgrades.
The objection letter, submitted to South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) Director Myra C. Reece by attorney Daniel J. Ballou of Morton & Gettys, comes after Silfab signaled it intends to resume commissioning activities as early as October 19, 2026. School district officials argue the proposed timeline dangerously outpaces Silfab’s fulfillment of mandatory safety recommendations outlined by an independent engineering firm.
The showdown follows a string of hazardous chemical mishaps at the 7149 Logistics Lane site earlier this year. On March 3, approximately 300 gallons of scrubber water laced with corrosive potassium hydroxide spilled across the property, breached a storm drain, and washed into a retention pond — an incident blamed on valve failures, human error, unshielded piping, and a damaged drain line. Subsequent events included a hydrofluoric acid drip and a June 3 propane scare that forced a facility evacuation. During that emergency, Silfab’s internal intercom system failed, forcing managers to broadcast evacuation notices via post-hoc Microsoft Teams messages sent to a public group text…