Parkland School District Superintendent Dr. Mark Madson presented a review of the proposed Atlas Data Center to the Parkland board at the May 12 workshop session.

In response to questions he has received from students, staff, parents and the community, Madson said, “This is an administrative overview – a summary of what we know.

“This is a very large, massive data center proposal equivalent to 10 Parkland High Schools or 88 football fields.

“It will have an impact.”

The project includes six buildings totaling 5.1 million square feet with a maximum 50-foot building height.

The layout would spread over 400 acres between Orefield Road, Mauch Chunk Road and Cedar Crest Boulevard in South Whitehall Township. A portion would be positioned across from Parkland High School.

Madson reported the administration and school board are following South Whitehall Township planning and zoning meetings for updates.

“We have reviewed the initial submissions to understand the scope, footprint and impact relative to the high school campus,” Madson said.

The superintendent listed school district concerns which he detailed in a letter sent to the Lehigh County Authority, PPL, South Whitehall Township and the developer, Atlas.

Madson said a major concern is the safety and well-being of everyone.

He mentioned the possibilities of continuous operational noise and vibration along with hazards from the electrical infrastructure.

The data center diagram indicates an electrical substation across from the high school. The maximum noise level is 57 decibels.

“Noise and vibration are a huge concern,” Madson said. “Who monitors that? They should have a third party conduct a study of it.”

He went on to talk about the environmental impact which would include soil stability, wastewater management and handling of hazardous materials.

Madson then addressed the demands for electricity, water and emergency services which would affect community resources. He said “end user accountability” is essential, but due to nondisclosure agreements, the tenant is unknown.

Madson observed emissions from 356 diesel generators and chemicals from the 1,056 rooftop chillers with refrigerants could pose hazardous issues.

The superintendent said he expects much of the data center project will change as it moves forward.

“We believe the scale of this will be reduced,” Madson said.

He noted the data center would bring revenue to the district.

The superintendent offered assurance the district will continue to monitor the proposal with South Whitehall Township, Atlas, the scientific community and stakeholders.

“We can have our concerns, but the school district does not approve a project like this. The township does,” Madson said.

In comments to The Press, board Vice President Chris Pirrotta expressed concerns about monitoring and enforcement to ensure the safety of Parkland students and staff.

Board member Lisa Roth would like to visit a data center to see firsthand what it is like. The closest sizable data center she could find is in Vineland, N.J. and is much smaller than the Atlas plan, Roth said.