LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa. – Project Atlas has its sights set on South Whitehall Township, with a campus that would take up 1.5 Million square feet. That’s equal to 26 football fields.
At a special meeting Wednesday night, at least two dozen people took to the podium, voicing their concerns about the proposal.
“Pollution from diesel and gas generators are known to have severe health impacts and data centers employ the use of generators at an unprecedented scale.”
“In the materials and equipment stored on site section there is no mention of the almost 2.5 million gallons of petroleum product that will be stored on sight without adequate secondary containment.”
If approved, the date center campus would sit on 2493 Cedar Crest Boulevard, directly across the street from Parkland High School.
“I really need to implore you to think about the impacts on the quality of education that this will have…”
“We cannot take the chance with the impacts of a large scale date center powered by 2,000 diesel generators and the problems that can have on our students. We cannot take the chance that students with sensory disabilities won’t be affected by noise, by vibrations and other things yet to be determined.”
Following public comment, three township advisory boards, the landscape and shade tree commission, the environmental advisory council, and the park and recreation board put questions and recommendations on the record.
Those will be sent back to the applicant to be addressed, ahead of the next meeting about the proposed date center campus on September 23rd.