Protect Wake County Coalition

The Digital Campus Proposal

Overview of the Submitted Proposal

Who is behind it? Natelli Investments LLC, a Maryland developer has applied to build a massive data center on 189 acres on Shearon Harris Road in New HIll, North Carolina (Wake County)
What is being requested? The proposal asks the Town of Apex to annex the land, rezone it from rural/residential to light industrial, and amend the Apex Unified Development Ordinance to add a definition for “data storage facility.”
What's Planned?
- 4–6 (potentially up to 9) large buildings, each up to 75 feet tall
- Up to 80 diesel generators (3 megawatts each), running weekly for testing and during outages
- A facility drawing up to 300 megawatts of power—about 30% of Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant’s output
- Cooling needs met with treated wastewater from the Western Wake Regional Water Reclamation Facility, with one-third expected to evaporate into the air (carrying potential pollutants)
Economic claims by the developer:
- $1 billion total investment
- About $10 million in annual tax revenue to Apex and Wake County, plus $1.2 million to the state
Where it stands now? The developer filed its annexation, rezoning, and text amendment applications with Apex on September 2, 2025.

Flyers to Print

We’ve created printable flyers to help spread the word about the proposed 300 MW data center at 4232 Shearon Harris Road in New Hill. These flyers outline the risks to our health, environment, infrastructure, and quality of life, and explain why rezoning this land to “light industrial” is a critical mistake.

Use them to share with neighbors, post at local businesses, or take door-to-door. Each flyer includes a QR code that links directly to our website and petition for quick access.

📥 Download the flyers below and help us raise awareness. Together, we can protect Apex and Wake County.

Apex _ New Hill Data Center Fact Sheet (pdf)

Download

Apex Data Center QR 1 Page (pdf)

Download

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at info@protectwakecounty.org if you cannot find an answer to your question.

What is the Protect Wake County Coalition?

We are a community group formed to educate residents and advocate against the proposed data center development in New Hill, NC. Our goal is to protect our neighborhoods, environment, and quality of life.

What exactly is being proposed?

A developer, Natelli Investments LLC, has submitted plans for a large-scale data storage facility on nearly 190 acres along Shearon Harris Road. The proposal includes multiple tall buildings and dozens of large diesel generators.

Why are we concerned about the data center?

The project raises serious concerns about noise, air pollution, water use, strain on the power grid, loss of farmland, and the impact on nearby schools and neighborhoods.

Where is the data center site located?

The proposed site is on Shearon Harris Road in New Hill, a rural area near existing residential communities and schools.

How will this affect nearby residents?

Residents may experience constant noise from generators and cooling systems, increased traffic during construction, and changes to the rural character of our community. Add an answer to this item.

Are data centers bad for the environment?

They consume massive amounts of electricity and water, produce continuous noise, and rely on backup diesel generators that emit pollution.

Does Apex have rules about data centers?

Currently, the Town of Apex does not have clear ordinances or definitions around data centers, which makes this project harder to regulate.

What can I do to help?

Attend town meetings, write to council members, spread the word in your community, and join our coalition to stay updated and involved.

Where can I learn more or get involved?

The best way to stay informed is by joining our Protect Wake County Coalition Facebook group, where we share updates, resources, and upcoming meeting details. You can also connect with neighbors there and learn about ways to volunteer.