Local opposition intensifies over proposed 1.5-million-sq-ft data center’s noise in South Whitehall

Residents and officials in South Whitehall Township are challenging a planned 1.5-million-square-foot data center, citing low-frequency noise that could affect nearby schools and homes.

In South Whitehall Township, a 1.5-million-square-foot data center dubbed Project Atlas is slated for a 410-acre site opposite Parkland High School, the state’s fifth-largest secondary school. Residents such as Anna Clement and civic leader Greg Sussman warn that the center’s low-frequency hum, which penetrates walls and can travel hundreds of feet, could disrupt classroom learning and daily life; a township-commissioned sound-propagation study found predicted night-time noise 30 decibels louder than existing ambient levels.

The developer, Edged U.S., asserts operations will remain under 54 dB at the property line, use a closed-loop cooling system that consumes no water, and generate less traffic than typical warehouses. Opposition has gathered over 600 attendees at a public meeting, with state Sen. Jarrett Coleman labeling the project “not the right fit” and Democratic Sen. James Malone urging the Republican-controlled Senate to reconvene on a moratorium.

Governor Josh Shapiro’s administration is reportedly preparing executive measures, while advocacy groups like Food & Water Watch press for stronger safeguards. The township Planning Commission will consider the proposal on Sept. 23, with commissioners required to decide by Oct. 31.