Bald Eagles Cited in Opposition to Lehigh Valley Data Center Projects
Residents in South Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania, are actively opposing the proposed Project Atlas data center, citing concerns about its impact on local wildlife, particularly bald eagles. Environmental groups and locals highlight issues like habitat loss, noise, and light pollution, leading to presentations before the township board and a submitted petition. A public hearing for the project has been canceled and not yet rescheduled.
Residents in South Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania, are using the presence of bald eagles and other local wildlife to challenge "Project Atlas," a proposed data center development. Marianne Bobbin, a 75-year-old widow, meticulously logs eagle activity near her Mechanicsville Road property, which is less than a half-mile from a frequent eagle roost and about a mile from the proposed 410-acre data center site near Parkland High School.
Environmental concerns are at the forefront of the opposition. Bald eagles, while no longer endangered, are a protected species under federal law, requiring permits for any disturbance of nesting sites. Liz Brensinger, conservation chair of the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, affirmed residents' worries, explaining that data centers contribute to constant noise, vibration, potential water depletion, light and air pollution, and the loss of crucial farmland and open space, all of which negatively impact bird reproduction and habitat. She also noted the presence of a great blue heron rookery near the proposed site.
Local opposition is escalating, with residents also raising similar concerns in Lower Mount Bethel Township in Northampton County where another data center is proposed. Bobbin presented her daily log and photos of the eagles to the South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners, prompting the township to refer the matter to state authorities. She has also joined over 8,000 others in a petition against Project Atlas. A public hearing with the South Whitehall planning commission scheduled for Thursday to discuss Project Atlas was canceled the day before, with no new date set.