COLUMBIA — The ongoing site work for Scout Motors' 1,100-acre plant in Blythewood has drawn warnings from state regulators alleging the electric vehicle maker and its county partner are failing to control sediment pollution, records obtained by The Post and Courier show.

Throughout last year, the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services issued notices to Scout Motors and Richland County's economic development department for allegedly failing to keep sediment and other pollutants from leaving the site.

Bill Stangler, head of the Congaree Riverkeeper environmental group, expressed concern that sediment pollution could harm fish and other aquatic life by covering their habitats and spreading attached pollutants.

"That's why we have rules at the local, state and federal level to try and reduce sediment pollution in our waterways," Stangler said in an interview with The Post and Courier.

Scout Motors' facility, backed by a record $1.3 billion in state incentives approved by South Carolina lawmakers in 2023, is now under construction with site preparation underway on the same property. The EV manufacturer plans to employ 4,000 workers and ramp up to building 200,000 vehicles annually after production at the $2 billion plant begins in 2027.

Richland County Economic Development acquired a permit in January 2024 to be able to discharge stormwater runoff to a stream called Beasley Creek and one of its tributaries. Meanwhile, Scout Motors received a permit in March last year to discharge runoff into the same waters.

Since Richland County Economic Development acquired its permit, it has received at least four notices that it was not in compliance with its requirements, records show. According to Scout, which also received at least two of the notices, Richland County is managing site preparation for the project.

During a March 2024 inspection, officials found that temporary minor dams designed to control runoff along Beasley Creek were too small, with silt and sediment built up downstream beyond the construction site, according to a notice document. In an assessment the following month, officials found excess silt and sediment draining into a pond that flows into Beasley Creek.

In June, the state environmental agency inspected the site again and found that excessive sediment was still leaving the construction area due to missing or failed erosion controls such as basins, small dams and fences.

In response to the inspection, a consultant with the project reported that additional basin construction was nearly complete, with erosion control measures underway, including replaced fencing to trap sediment, according to the notice. Crews added topsoil to the construction area to help absorb runoff.

But the next month, state officials returned to the site and found sediment still escaping the construction site, with missing, incomplete or ineffective basins. Despite the addition of topsoil at the site, officials said slopes remained at risk of erosion due to a lack of vegetation.

A few days later, the environmental department referred the case to its water pollution enforcement division. It also stated in a letter to Richland County Economic Development and Scout Motors that they had failed to manage stormwater runoff effectively, according to the notice document.

Inspectors noted in a September report that a vacuum truck was removing sediment in the area, but erosion control measures remained ineffective or absent, allowing sediment to leave the construction site where Scout Motors' upcoming 1,100-acre plant is being built in Blythewood.

Inspectors noted in a September report that a vacuum truck was removing sediment in the area and that erosion controls had been redesigned. However, they found other measures were still ineffective or absent, allowing sediment to leave the construction site. Photos in the report showed a discolored pond and stream, which inspectors said highlighted the site's impact.

That month, the state Department of Environmental Services sent a draft order to Richland County Economic Development regarding the violations and a pending civil penalty. A spokesperson for the state agency said in an email to The Post and Courier that she expects the order to be finalized in the "coming weeks or months."

In a statement, Richland County Economic Development said it worked with state officials to hire an independent engineering firm to ensure compliance with regulations. The county office also said it began taking corrective steps and improving its practices before receiving an enforcement notice in July from environmental regulators. It said it has continued those efforts since.

"Richland County remains fully committed to the highest environmental standards," the statement said. "The responsible development of the Scout site remains a top priority for Richland County, and we are dedicated to supporting its continued progress in alignment with environmental standards, for the benefit of all of Richland County residents."

Scout also provided The Post and Courier with a statement, saying that as part of the agreement to locate the company's production center in South Carolina, "Richland County took responsibility for managing site preparation work on the construction site. Scout Motors leadership is in regular communication with the County and maintains a strong relationship with the County as the construction process proceeds."