FORT MILL, S.C. — The fight over a solar facility in Fort Mill was back in court on Wednesday. A judge will have to decide by the end of the year if lawsuits involving the project will move forward.
Channel 9 Climate Reporter Michelle Alfini delved into the two cases that were presented.
One was focused on the York County Zoning Board of Appeals decision about whether the Silfab Solar project can move forward.
The second was from a citizens group asking for the judge to order construction to cease.
The judge focused more on the zoning decision, claiming that the case would determine the merits of the second.
Silfab Solar claims their plans to build a solar panel manufacturing facility meet light industrial requirements for the county and have earned the necessary state and federal permits to move forward.
A group of neighbors called the United Citizens Alliance for Government Integrity, claimed over 5,000 members disagreed.
They said the chemicals used on site are dangerous and belong in a heavy industrial site and that a May zoning board of appeals decision agreeing with them should have been the end of the project.
“This type of chemical substance does not belong around neighborhoods of school children,” said Cameron Halford, an attorney for the organization.
The judge is currently reviewing motions from both sides about whether to drop the cases or move forward.
In the meantime, construction is still ongoing at the Silfab Solar site and operations could begin in the coming months.
Silfab statement:
“A recently formed activist group comprised of a small number of individuals has filed several meritless motions based solely on false assumptions not aligned with the facts. This group continues to execute a murky legal strategy that only drains necessary resources from York County government and its employees at the expense of taxpayers. Silfab Solar remains committed to building a safe, state-of-the-art facility that will provide good-paying American jobs, reshore American-made products and help meet the significant demand for clean energy amidst the national energy crisis.
“Silfab Solar will continue to deliver on its promise of maintaining open dialogue with the community, local and state officials and regulatory agencies. Our company is eager to create a positive economic impact on the local community while putting our workers’ and neighbors’ health and safety above all else.”
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