Steve Patterson  Matt Campbell

PENTWATER, Mich. (WZZM) -- The people of Pentwater and its surrounding communities are fighting a proposed $3 billion dollar wind farm. 

"It will devistate our town," said Pentwater Business Owner and Lake Michigan POWER Coalition Member Jeff Hodges. "We're not opposed to wind power, we're opposed to wind power in the lake."

Jeff and people in the area say the development would be intrusive and cause serious damage to shoreline tourism, which is a staple in the area.  

The Pentwater Village Council recently passed resolutions opposing the project.

"These people are all extremely concerned," said Village President Juanita Pierson. "Are people just don't want them so you can see them right on the beach." 

Developers from the Norwegian company Scandia Wind said the overwhelming reaction from the people is forcing them to scale back their plans for the farm.

Originally, they planed to build 100 to 200 wind turbines covering 100 square miles of Lake Michigan between the Ludington Pumped Storage Plant and Silver Lake State Park, with the turbines ranging from 1.4 to 3.7 miles from shore.

Now, representatives are saying they will move at least four miles away from shore and reduce the number of turbines in the lake.

But Hodges says it's not a victory until there are absolutely no plans to build the farm in Lake Michigan.

"We don't think we're winning at all," he said. "It's like saying we're going to give you a lot of cancer or we're going to give you a little. If it's a bad idea, if it doesn't work, it doesn't work at any scale." 

People in Pentwater fear the reduction in numbers will force the company to use a larger 10-megawatt turbines in order to reach their generation goal of 1,000-megawatts. 

With the blade, the windmills can reach heights in excess of 500 feet. People in town fear turbines that large will surround the coastline and loom permanently above the community.

There is also a fear that safety mandates will create a perimeter around the farm that will spoil the area's sport fishing industry.

Residents like Sue Squire are concerned about the Lake's eco-system.

"I dont think it's a risk worth taking for the profit of foreign development companies," Squire said. "We know their motives are profit and profit at the expense of taxpayers and a possible dissaster in the Great Lakes... it isn't a risk worth taking."

Scandia representatives say they will release a new plan to the public by the end of the month.

They plan to work through complaints with the board's of both oceana and mason counties. They have said they will not do anything without the approval of the people.