East Whiteland Sentinel/Green Fig Data Center

Approved Superfund-site data center has its water deal and waits on permits

Developer

Sentinel Data Centers (CEO Josh Rabina) and Green Fig Land LLC (Charles Lyddane), applying as Sentinel Green Fig LLC. Fifteenfortyseven Critical Systems Realty of Matawan, N.J., was Green Fig's earlier partner. Attorney Lou Colagreco represents the developers.

Tenant

No tenant has been publicly named.

Current stage

The project is approved and in early site work, and since the developers dropped their cooling-change request, the township expects them to build the approved 2024 plan. Foundation permits for both buildings and a 140-foot utility monopole, filed September 25, were still under review on the township's October 1 log, and the township said October 6, after Aqua's water agreement took effect on October 2, that it hadn't issued any more permits. On October 20, 2026 the resident group East Whiteland United sent the township, its supervisors and the developers a notice of intent to sue, and no suit had been filed as of October 22. A November 3 ballot question asks whether to expand the board to five supervisors.

Decision body

East Whiteland Township Board of Supervisors (land development approvals) and Zoning Hearing Board (2018 and 2021 variances); township staff issue building permits

Top issues

scale of the built footprint; legacy site contamination; water use; noise and continuous operation; backup generation and air emissions

Key opponents

East Whiteland United, which hired attorney Philip S. Rosenzweig in October 2026; Save East Whiteland; Food & Water Watch Pennsylvania (Ginny Marcille-Kerslake); residents whose land-use appeals were quashed in June 2026

Key supporters

No organized supporters have been reported. Some residents cited jobs and economic benefits at a March 2026 Planning Commission meeting (FOX 29). The developers say the 2018 and 2021 zoning approvals give them the right to build.

• 2018-02-26The Zoning Hearing Board grants Whiteland Holdings LP a use variance for a data center of about 720,000 square feet on a 44-acre site. East Whiteland Township
• 2021-11-16The Zoning Hearing Board extends the approval to an approximately 74-acre campus of about 1.86 million square feet with two 150-foot microwave towers. East Whiteland Township
• 2022-08-301547 announces it has partnered with Green Fig Land on a 100-plus acre site with 150 MW of utility power available at first. Business Wire
• 2023-05-13PECO writes that it can supply 290 MW through two 230 kV lines from Planebrook substation, starting with a 150 MW tap estimated at $3.9 million. PECO (posted by East Whiteland Township)
• 2024-06-12Supervisors grant preliminary land development approval (Resolution 26-2024) for two buildings totaling about 1.5 million square feet. East Whiteland Township
• 2024-08-14Supervisors grant final land development approval with conditions (Resolution 30-2024). East Whiteland Township
• 2025-10-09The PUC approves PECO's 220-09 line tap, about 0.08 miles of 230-kilovolt line to the planned Green Fig Data Center next to PECO's Planebrook Substation, to serve a 150-megawatt load. Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
• 2026-01-28The Planning Commission takes up the amended plan to grow the buildings to more than 1.6 million square feet with waterless chillers. Philadelphia Inquirer
• 2026-03-09After a meeting packed with hundreds of residents, the Planning Commission sends the amended plan to the supervisors without a full recommendation. Philadelphia Inquirer
• 2026-03-31The approved 2024 land development plan is recorded with the Chester County Recorder of Deeds. East Whiteland Township
• 2026-04-14At a special supervisors' meeting the developers offer an 887,000-square-foot plan and say they'll build the larger approved plan if it isn't approved quickly. Philadelphia Inquirer
• 2026-05-05East Whiteland reverts to 1.5M sq ft original plan
• 2026-06-11Judge quashes residents' land-use appeals of the approved data center as untimely, the second denial that week, clearing the path to construction Philadelphia Inquirer
• 2026-07-08Developers request a field change to drop cooling towers in favor of rooftop air chillers; the board tables it 2-1 Philadelphia Inquirer
• 2026-07-29Work resumes after the township issues the erosion and sediment permit with soil, dust and Superfund-remedy conditions Philadelphia Inquirer
• 2026-08-19A November 3 ballot question will ask voters whether to expand the Board of Supervisors from three members to five Philadelphia Inquirer
• 2026-08-26Second stop-work order halts foundation and control-house work pending confirmation of water service. A 2024 Aqua letter reported by the Inquirer: "Unfortunately, Aqua does not have the capacity to meet the peak demand … as requested." Philadelphia Inquirer
• 2026-09-24Board adopts a 32-page data center ordinance (Ordinance 385-2026); it does not apply to this approved project Philadelphia Inquirer
• 2026-09-25Developer withdraws three building permits and files new foundation and utility-pole permits; none issued as of the township's Oct 1 log East Whiteland Township
• 2026-10-01The PUC denies a resident's petition to reconsider its August 11 refusal to grant emergency relief against PECO's line tap for the data center. Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
• 2026-10-02Water supply agreement takes effect: 500 gallons a minute at first, then up to 2.8 million gallons a day, with mains and a pump station at the developer's cost East Whiteland Township
• 2026-10-06Township receives the executed water agreement and says it "has not issued any additional permits at this time" East Whiteland Township
• 2026-10-14Supervisors vote 3-0 to hire Ceisler Media at about $6,800 a month; the township says the developers dropped the cooling change and will follow the approved 2024 plan, with several permits under review. Resident group East Whiteland United has retained an attorney Philadelphia Inquirer
• 2026-10-14The board authorizes advertising a hearing, tentatively November 12, on a land development amendment requiring environmental remediation before approval. East Whiteland Township
• 2026-10-16A resident files a new petition for reconsideration in the PUC docket for PECO's line tap; the commission posts it October 19. Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
• 2026-10-20The resident group sends the township, its three supervisors, Green Fig and Sentinel Data Centers an eight-page notice of intent to sue, saying it will go to court if its concerns aren't addressed immediately and substantially. Philadelphia Inquirer
• 2026-10-22A joint motion by PUC Chairman Stephen DeFrank and Commissioner Ralph Yanora is posted to the docket for PECO's line tap serving the data center. Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

• Land use appeal (2024 final plan approval and recording) Chester County Court of Common Pleas · n/a

  Judge Anthony Verwey quashed the appeal of the 2024 approval as 'filed well out of time' and called it 'frivolous.'

  Neighboring residents v. East Whiteland Township Board of Supervisors (developers Green Fig and Sentinel participating) · Quashed in June 2026
• Appeal of 2018 Zoning Hearing Board decision Chester County Court of Common Pleas · n/a

  Judge Verwey wrote the appeal was 'filed 8 years after issuance, is out of time and must be quashed.' The residents' attorney said he had another case opposing the project.

  Neighboring residents v. East Whiteland Township Zoning Hearing Board · Quashed in June 2026
• 2026-10-20
  Notice of intent to sue Not filed in court; sent to East Whiteland Township · n/a

  An eight-page notice, with seven exhibits, arguing the township violated its ordinances and the state planning code in approving and permitting the project. It cites Aqua's letter on water capacity, permit applications the group says change the approved design, and the environmental impact assessment.

  East Whiteland United (attorney Philip S. Rosenzweig of Silverang, Rosenzweig & Haltzman) and East Whiteland Township, its Board of Supervisors, Green Fig and Sentinel Data Centers · No lawsuit filed as of October 22, 2026, according to MyChesCo
• 2026-10-16
  Petition for reconsideration Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission · A-2025-3054731

  A challenge to PECO's 220-09 line tap, approved October 9, 2025, which connects the Green Fig Data Center next to PECO's Planebrook Substation for a 150-megawatt load. The PUC denied the petitioner's request for emergency relief on August 11, 2026 and denied reconsideration of that on October 1, 2026; the October 1 order didn't address a separate July 2026 petition to rescind or amend the approval.

  A resident (petitioner) and PECO Energy Company · Received October 16 and posted October 19, 2026. A joint motion by Chairman Stephen DeFrank and Commissioner Ralph Yanora was posted October 22, 2026; we couldn't read its text.

• 2026-10-22 MyChesCoEast Whiteland Data Center Faces New Lawsuit ThreatFollows the Inquirer on the notice of intent to sue, lists its allegations, including permit applications that would drop 20-foot basements from two buildings, and notes that no lawsuit has been filed.
• 2026-10-20 Philadelphia InquirerResidents give notice of intent to sue East Whiteland and developer over 1.5 million square foot data center projectEast Whiteland United sent an eight-page notice saying it will sue the township, its supervisors and the developers if its concerns about water, permit changes and the environmental assessment aren't addressed.
• 2026-10-15 Philadelphia InquirerAmid data center disputes, East Whiteland hired a PR firm, while its residents hired an attorneyTownship hires a PR firm; residents hire a lawyer
• 2026-09-25 Philadelphia InquirerEast Whiteland officials approve a lengthy data center ordinance, after residents decried the one being built thereA 32-page ordinance that does not reach the project already approved
• 2026-08-28 MyChesCoEast Whiteland Halts Data Center Work Over Water ApprovalStop-work pending water confirmation
• 2026-08-27 Philadelphia InquirerThe controversial East Whiteland data center project has been issued its second stop-work orderSecond stop-work order, pending water service confirmation
• 2026-08-19 Philadelphia InquirerVoters in a Chesco township will be asked whether to expand their board in November amid data center backlashNovember ballot question on expanding the board from three to five
• 2026-07-30 Philadelphia InquirerEast Whiteland officials allow work to resume on data center planned for Superfund siteWork resumes under an erosion and sediment permit with Superfund conditions
• 2026-07-09 Philadelphia Inquirer'A substantial change': Residents upset after developers of controversial Chesco data center project seek another alterationDevelopers ask to drop cooling towers for rooftop chillers; the board tables it
• 2026-06-11 Philadelphia InquirerJudge denies challenges to a 1.5 million-square-foot East Whiteland data center projectAppeals quashed as untimely; construction path clear
• 2026-05-05 Food & Water WatchEast Whiteland, PA Data Center Developer Withdraws Application After Fierce Public Oppositionexpansion withdrawn
• 2026-04-20 Data Center DynamicsDeveloper says it will build larger data center if plans for smaller facility near Philadelphia go unapproveddeveloper ultimatum
• 2026-04-15 Philadelphia InquirerA controversial 1.6M-square-foot data center in Chesco could shrink after fierce pushback: 'This is not an act of goodwill'smaller 887,000 sq ft offer
• 2026-03-10 Philadelphia InquirerA proposal to make an East Whiteland data center 60% bigger will be considered by the town's supervisors after a fiery planning commission meetingplanners pass plan along
• 2026-03-09 FOX 29 PhiladelphiaEast Whiteland data center plan sparks concerns over home values, noise, and sizePlanning Commission meeting
• 2026-01-29 Philadelphia InquirerA developer is seeking to expand its proposed data center in East Whitelandexpansion bid and site history
• 2023-01-19 Philadelphia InquirerA cleaned-up Superfund site in Chester County could become home to a massive data centeroriginal announcement