South Whitehall data center proposal draws continued scrutiny
Residents in South Whitehall Township are raising environmental, noise, and transparency concerns about Edged Data Centers' proposed Project Atlas data center. Township officials are continuing their review of the five-building campus, noting the property is already zoned Industrial, but the project's approval is pending due to extensive review comments and lack of recommendation from township staff. Active public discussion and further review meetings are expected.
Residents of South Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania, continue to scrutinize Edged Data Centers' proposed Project Atlas, a five-building campus south of Orefield Road. During recent Board of Commissioners meetings, citizens raised various concerns, including potential air pollution from diesel generators, localized "heat island" effects from air-cooled designs, and impacts on wildlife such as bald eagles. Residents also questioned the transparency of information and the adequacy of the project’s noise study, referencing weaknesses in the township’s land development review process and Pennsylvania’s Environmental Rights Amendment.
Township officials acknowledge the property is zoned Industrial, permitting heavy industrial uses, but are reviewing the project under a proposed Planned Innovation Research and Technology (PIRT) Overlay District designed to encourage campus-style development with additional design and buffering standards. Township Manager Tom Petrucci explained that repeated postponements of public discussions are due to ongoing township reviews and the applicant's need to respond to extensive comments. A recent 160-page review letter did not recommend approval for Project Atlas, leading the applicant to request more time before public discussion. The project remains under consideration, with further public engagement anticipated.