Atlas Industrial / South Whitehall Data Center

Three hyperscale data center buildings across the street from a high school

Developer

CDE Acquisitions, LLC of Atlanta, an affiliate of Edged Data Centers (Edged US), working with Scannell Properties; Jeras Corporation owns the land

Tenant

Undisclosed. No end user has been named.

Current stage

Preliminary plan (Major Plan 2025-109) under Planning Commission review with no decision. At a special meeting at Parkland High School on September 23, 2026 the applicant's attorney said it wasn't seeking approval and would return with a revised plan, and the deadline for the township to act was extended from October 31 to December 31. No new Planning Commission date has been set. On October 20, 2026 the Parkland School Board voted unanimously for a resolution opposing the project, with board members saying their concern is its location near Parkland High School. DEP has made a tentative decision to issue the construction stormwater permit and will hold a public meeting and hearing November 23 on that permit and the Chapter 105 water obstruction and encroachment permit.

Decision body

South Whitehall Township Planning Commission (recommendation) and Board of Commissioners (preliminary plan decision); Pennsylvania DEP Northeast Regional Office (Chapter 105 and construction stormwater permits)

Top issues

Siting directly across from Parkland High School; a dedicated substation and new PPL transmission lines; emergency diesel generators; noise and requests for continuous monitoring; karst geology with closed depressions and surface pits; clearing about 72 acres of woods; stormwater from 415.84 acres of earth disturbance; traffic on Cedar Crest Boulevard and Mauch Chunk Road; fiscal claims the township's economist called not credible; the demand for a hearing with cross-examination; an undisclosed end user

Key opponents

South Whitehall Civic Alliance, headed by Greg Sussman and represented by counsel; Parkland School District administration; Food & Water Watch; state Sen. Jarrett Coleman and his opponent, Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley, who both told the September 23 meeting the project was bad for the township

Key supporters

Edged US, which says the campus would bring more than $8.9 billion in investment, about $16.5 million a year in taxes and a $99.5 million annual economic impact for the township, and pledges to pay for all power and infrastructure upgrades. Earlier projections put about $11.5 million a year toward the Parkland School District.

• 2025-12-16The LVPC says it has received a hyperscale data center application for 2493 N. Cedar Crest Blvd.: six buildings totaling 5.1 million sq ft. WFMZ-TV 69 News
• 2026-01-22The LVPC reviews the six-building plan and unanimously approves a comment letter noting the site is designated for farmland preservation in its regional plan. Lehigh Valley Public Media
• 2026-01-28DEP receives the Water Obstruction and Encroachment Joint Permit Application (E3902226-002) for Project Atlas through its SPEED program. Pennsylvania Bulletin / Pennsylvania DEP
• 2026-02-06Staff review of Major Plan 2025-109 does not recommend approval because of outstanding comments, and the township engineer also does not recommend approval. South Whitehall Township
• 2026-02-12The scheduled Planning Commission review is canceled after the project is pulled so the applicant can respond to the township's 101-page review. WFMZ-TV 69 News
• 2026-02-17PPL's plans for a new substation north of Huckleberry Road and three new transmission lines running about 1.5 miles east to a new customer facility become public; they need PUC approval. WFMZ-TV 69 News
• 2026-05-05Superintendent Mark Madson writes to the township manager, the Lehigh County Authority, PPL Electric Utilities and the developer: "Based on what is proposed, we find the proposal to be unacceptable" Lehigh Daily
• 2026-05-12District workshop reviews the proposal; Madson describes a footprint roughly equivalent to ten Parkland High Schools and residents urge the board to take a stronger public stance Lehigh Daily
• 2026-05-30The zoning officer's review of the revised three-building plan recommends denial for noncompliance, citing missing information, hundreds of emergency diesel generators and a proposed warehouse that isn't a permitted accessory use. WFMZ-TV 69 News
• 2026-06-25The LVPC reviews the revised plan, says it addressed numerous comments but that outstanding issues remain, and projects 1,154 weekday trips. WFMZ-TV 69 News
• 2026-07-09First public presentation of Project Atlas draws a standing-room-only crowd to Springhouse Middle School for a nearly three-hour session; a township engineer says he does not recommend approval, and residents cheer Lehigh Valley Public Media
• 2026-07-09Alliance attorneys ask the township for a formal hearing process that would let residents’ experts question the developer’s witnesses and present testimony; no action is taken Lehigh Valley Press
• 2026-07-14An executive is "no longer involved" with Project Atlas after residents publicize offensive text messages sent during the planning commission meeting, according to the developer Lehigh Valley Public Media
• 2026-07-31Project Atlas is left off the August 13 Planning Commission agenda, and the township sets a special Planning Commission session for September 23 at Parkland High School. Lehigh Valley Public Media
• 2026-08-04DEP receives the Individual NPDES construction stormwater permit application (PAD390390) for Project Atlas. Pennsylvania Bulletin / Pennsylvania DEP
• 2026-09-04Township staff recommend against approving the preliminary plan because of outstanding review comments and ask the applicant for a revised submission. Lehigh Valley Press
• 2026-09-09The Park and Recreation Board, Environmental Advisory Council and Landscape and Shade Tree Commission review the plan at Parkland High School after 90 minutes of public comment and send comments to the developer. WFMZ-TV 69 News
• 2026-09-23At a special meeting at Parkland High School the applicant's attorney says it isn't seeking approval and will return with a revised plan; the commission takes the proposal under advisement and the decision deadline moves from October 31 to December 31. WFMZ-TV 69 News
• 2026-10-17DEP schedules a public meeting and hearing November 23 at Cedar Crest College on the Chapter 105 permit; stormwater permit comments due November 16 PA Environment Digest
• 2026-10-17DEP publishes a tentative decision to issue the construction stormwater permit for 415.84 acres of earth disturbance, with comments taken for 30 days. Pennsylvania Bulletin / Pennsylvania DEP
• 2026-10-20The school board votes unanimously for a resolution opposing Project Atlas and authorizing district administrators and legal counsel to advocate for the district during the township's review. Lehigh Valley Press

• 2026-05
  Land development plan South Whitehall Township Planning Commission · n/a

  Land development application for a hyperscale data center campus on roughly 406 to 410 acres at 2493 North Cedar Crest Boulevard. Township staff and consultants are continuing review, and numerous ordinance requirements remain to be addressed before the commission considers a recommendation.

  CDE Acquisitions, LLC, an affiliate of Edged Data Centers (Edged US) · Under review
• 2026-07-09
  Request for formal hearing South Whitehall Township · n/a

  The Alliance, through counsel, asked the township to convene a formal hearing process allowing residents to question the developer’s witnesses under oath and present expert testimony of their own. No action was taken at the July 9 meeting.

  South Whitehall Civic Alliance · Pending
• 2026-08-04
  DEP permit application (Individual NPDES construction stormwater permit) Pennsylvania DEP, Northeast Regional Office · PAD390390

  Stormwater permit for a data center campus with access roads, utilities, stormwater and security infrastructure, covering 415.84 acres of earth disturbance with discharges to an unnamed tributary of Coplay Creek.

  CDE Acquisitions, LLC (applicant) · Tentative decision to issue published October 17, 2026; comments due November 16; public meeting and hearing November 23
• 2026-01-28
  DEP permit application (Chapter 105 water obstruction and encroachment joint permit) Pennsylvania DEP, Northeast Regional Office · E3902226-002

  Joint permit application received through DEP's SPEED program; receiving waters listed as unnamed tributaries to Coplay Creek, Jordan Creek and other wetlands.

  CDE Acquisitions, LLC (applicant) · Under review; public meeting and hearing November 23, 2026 at Cedar Crest College

• 2026-10-23 Lehigh Valley PressBoard resolution opposes data centerThe Parkland School Board unanimously adopted a resolution on October 20 putting the district on record against the Atlas data center near Parkland High School, with board members saying their concern is the location.
• 2026-10-02 Lehigh Valley PressSouth Whitehall Planning Commission takes Project Atlas under advisementReports that the planning commission took the plan under advisement at its September 23 special meeting at Parkland High School, that its chairman said hundreds of pages of review comments remain unresolved, and that State Sen. Jarrett Coleman and Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley spoke against the project.
• 2026-09-23 WFMZ-TV 69 NewsProject Atlas meeting ends without decision; deadline to act on plan pushed to New Year's Eveno decision, deadline extended
• 2026-09-23 WFMZ-TV 69 NewsS. Whitehall Twp. Planning Commission holding meeting on Project Atlas data center developmentsmeeting day preview
• 2026-09-22 WFMZ-TV 69 NewsProject Atlas under the microscope: Long-awaited public meeting happens tomorrowcurrent plan details
• 2026-09-18 Lehigh Valley PressResidents urge changes to Project Atlas, cite environmental and health concernsAbout 40 people spoke at the September 9 session at Parkland High School, and the story notes township staff again recommended against approving the preliminary plan.
• 2026-09-09 WFMZ-TV 69 News3 South Whitehall panels offer feedback on Project Atlas data campusadvisory board review
• 2026-07-31 Lehigh Valley Public MediaSouth Whitehall schedules special September session at Parkland High School for hyperscale data center proposalSeptember session scheduled
• 2026-07-17 Lehigh Valley PressProject Atlas faces scrutiny during first South Whitehall planning reviewThree-hour first review; Civic Alliance asks for a formal hearing process
• 2026-07-14 Lehigh Valley Public MediaResidents push for public hearing as South Whitehall takes new look at hyperscale data centerTownship engineer does not recommend approval; executive departs after text messages surface
• 2026-07-09 WFMZ-TV 69 NewsData center developer touts economic benefits of proposed 'Atlas' campus; South Whitehall community pushes backfirst public presentation
• 2026-07-09 WFMZ-TV 69 NewsSouth Whitehall residents to question data center developer at public meeting on Thursdaymeeting preview
• 2026-07-08 Lehigh Valley Public MediaHyperscale data center back on the agenda in South Whitehall Townshipdownsized plan returns
• 2026-07-07 WFMZ-TV 69 NewsAfter months of delays, South Whitehall data center proposal scheduled for review this weekreview scheduled
• 2026-06-25 WFMZ-TV 69 NewsLVPC reviews revamped South Whitehall 'Project Atlas' data center planregional planning review
• 2026-06-23 WFMZ-TV 69 NewsRevised plans for data center campus near Parkland High School under scrutinyrevised plan scrutiny
• 2026-06-10 WFMZ-TV 69 NewsMeeting on South Whitehall data center project postponed againJune review postponed
• 2026-06-09 WFMZ-TV 69 NewsAhead of key meeting on South Whitehall data center plans, township identifies long list of concernszoning officer recommends denial
• 2026-06-09 WFMZ-TV 69 News'Who thought that would be a good idea?': Residents push back as South Whitehall data center plan faces reviewCivic Alliance opposition
• 2026-05-26 WFMZ-TV 69 NewsPlans change for proposed South Whitehall data center; here's what's on the table nowdownsized plan details
• 2026-05-18 Lehigh DailyParkland School District discusses concerns for proposed Atlas Data Center near high schoolTen Parkland High Schools of footprint; the superintendent’s unacceptable letter
• 2026-04-24 CNBCAI data center backlash threatens Pennsylvania GOP incumbents in 2026 electionProject Atlas as a swing-district political flashpoint in the Lehigh Valley
• 2026-02-17 WFMZ-TV 69 NewsPPL proposes new electric lines, substation near possible S. Whitehall data center sitePPL substation and lines
• 2026-01-23 Lehigh Valley Public Media'Five Parkland High Schools; 4.5 Lehigh Valley Malls': LVPC reviews, residents oppose, data center projectfirst LVPC review
• 2026-01-15 WFMZ-TVUpcoming hearings to determine fate of proposed data centers in Lehigh County5M sq ft / Parkland HS / LVPC review
• 2025-12-17 Lehigh Valley Public Media5.1 million-square-foot Atlas Industrial data center could be built across from Parkland High Schoolfirst report
• 2025-12-16 WFMZ-TV 69 NewsPlans emerge for massive new data center campus near Parkland High Schoolfirst report