An Aiken County judge has declined a request by Fort Mill residents to stop construction on the controversial Silfab Solar manufacturing plant.
The Rock Hill Herald reports Judge Martha Rivers paused a case seeking to stop construction on the plant and revoke all permits.
Citizens Alliance for Government Integrity, the nonprofit group of residents who filed the case, argued that Silfab could pose a threat to nearby properties in the event of a spill or leak.
Two new schools are slated to move in next door. The company said it meets all safety requirements.
The future of the neighbors’ case hinges on a ruling in a second lawsuit brought by Silfab seeking to overturn a zoning decision by York County’s Board of Zoning Appeals. Attorneys for York County, Silfab and Citizens Alliance must first meet for mediation before the case can proceed to trial.
The $150 million project is projected to create 800 jobs on Logistics Lane, an industrial site in Fort Mill between I-77 and U.S. 21.