S. WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. – Not next to a school and not in our community. That is the message from a South Whitehall civic group over a proposed data center in Lehigh County. And they say they’re prepared to go to court to stop it.
This comes as the township planning commission is set to review updated plans from the developer on Thursday.
The developer recently scaled back the project, however, the township zoning officer recommended denying the latest proposal over extensive missing information.
If approved, it would go across the street from Parkland High School.
The South Whitehall Civic Alliance says it’s not going to let that happen.
“It’s just going to deteriorate the whole neighborhood, and we are very concerned about the property value,” said South Whitehall Township resident Bill Stanley.
For 70 years, Stanley has lived next to Mauch Chunk Road. What was once a dirt-lined road with barns and stone buildings, is now the center of South Whitehall Township data center resistance, literally in his front yard.
“We’ve never had a concern with the township before, but this is a new – this is the biggest project that I know of that South Whitehall has ever been involved with, and I hope they can handle it,” he said.
Recently, developers of the Atlas Data Center scaled back the project, set on more than 400 acres between Mauch Chunk Road and North Cedar Crest Boulevard, near Parkland High School, from 6 buildings and 5 million square feet to 5 buildings and less than 2 million square feet.
“Make no mistake, that data center is still just as powerful. They increase the number of diesel generators. The power consumption is still the same,” said Greg Sussman.
Greg Sussman, an engineer by trade who has two kids in the Parkland School District, heads the South Whitehall Civic Alliance, which opposes the data center.
Sussman, who has reviewed both proposals extensively, says the group has hired attorneys and experts for an expected legal and technical court fight.
He’s not against data centers in general, just the location of this one.
“Right across the street from a high school. Who thought that would be a good idea? The noise from the data center, just the chillers running, creates low-frequency noise that infiltrates the classrooms,” he explained.
Recently, the township zoning officer recommended denying the proposal over missing and incomplete information.
In a statement, the township’s manager said, in part, it is set for a comprehensive review.
“To ensure that the project meets the adopted ordinances of South Whitehall Township and to review the project both comprehensively and neutrally to protect the public health and public safety of Township residents,” the statement says.
Which may not be enough for the Civic Alliance.
“We intend on using every legal means at our disposal to stop Atlas Data Center,” Sussman promised.
Some of the things the zoning office found fault within the proposal includes geological concerns. Possible sink holes, questions of economics, and generator impacts, to name a few.
That planning commission meeting is set for Thursday.