Residents who attend will be able to view displays and diagrams concerning the proposed wind farm in the Huron-Manistee National Forest, north of Ludington, and provide the U.S. Forest Service with feedback and concerns.

White Pines Wind Farm LLC, a subsidiary of BP Alternative Energy, applied for a special use permit from the U.S. Forest Service in hopes of constructing 20 to 28 large wind turbines in the national forest north of Forest Trail in Mason County's Grant Township, just north of Hamlin Lake.

Forest Service spokesman Ken Arbogast, public affairs officer for the Huron-Manistee forest service, said he expects that the wind turbines, if built, would be between a quarter-mile and three quarters of a mile off Lake Michigan.

Forest Service officials seem open to exploring the concept, although it will take much study before any wind turbine is constructed. Arbogast said studies of the effects on plants and animals will be conducted, in addition to social impacts for recreational users, campers and surrounding residents.

He estimated the studies for the environmental impact statement would take a year. Then the Huron-Manistee National Forest Service supervisor would decide on the proposal. That decision could be appealed to the regional supervisor in Milwaukee.

"We're still several years from seeing something happen on the ground," Arbogast said.

If constructed, each turbine would be 420 feet tall from the ground to blade tips and would generate 2.5 megawatts of energy. The project as a whole would produce 70 megawatts, enough to supply 20,000 homes, if all 28 are built.

The project is one of three proposed in the Eastern Region of the Forest Service.

BP Alternative Energy contacted the Forest Service about a year ago to find out how to apply for the special use permit. Forest Service officials granted a special use permit last year for a couple test towers -- much smaller than the proposed turbines -- on the site to measure wind speeds.

The other proposed large commercial wind farm in West Michigan calls for 30 turbines to be built in Oceana County's Elbridge Township. An informational meeting on the proposal from John Deere Wind Energy and Michigan Wind LLC of Big Rapids drew more than 150 people in July.

WHAT: Meetings to receive public comment concerning the proposed construction of wind turbines in the Huron-Manistee National Forest.

WHEN AND WHERE: 4-7 p.m. Tuesday at the Ramada Inn, 4079 West U.S. 10, in Ludington; 4-7 p.m. Wednesday at the Days Inn, 1462 U.S. 31, in Manistee.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: U.S. Forest Service studies the potential impact of the wind farm on the National Forest.