Wind turbines may or may not someday be a tourist attraction in Mason County, but they sure drew a crowd Tuesday.

About 125 people crammed into one of Ramada Inn of Ludington’s conference rooms for an open-house-style meeting about a proposed 70-megawatt wind farm in the Manistee National Forest.

Many of those in attendance were property owners concerned about having a wind farm so close to their homes. Others were area residents concerned or curious about the proposal and some were wind energy backers interested and enthused about the project.

The conference room contained easels with maps of the project area, photographs of turbines and a virtual ride-through of Forest Trail and computer-generated views from Lake Michigan and the observation platform in the Lake Michigan Recreation Area.

If it looked like expensive production work, opponents need not worry — BP Alternative Energy produced the video and from here on out is responsible for the Forest Service’s costs.

“Once we get through the application, we’re on cost-recovery,” District Ranger Jim Thompson said. “Through different changes in regulations, we’re allowed to charge the applicant with the costs. In this case, the applicant will be charged with the cost of doing the analysis.”

That analysis will include an environmental impact statement that will examine, among other things, whether the turbines will negatively impact migrating bird populations and local bat populations. Dr. Allen Kurta of Eastern Michigan University will be studying the impacts on bats.

Should the project go through, the applicant will be on the hook for “fair market value” for the use of National Forest land and will pay a royalty-type payment to the federal government. The state of Michigan will divide up the payments between every county in the state that has National Forest land — not unlike payments in lieu of taxes that the state pays counties for public land. Mason County will not see a larger share than any other county with forest land, even though it hosts the turbines.

Thompson said BP has designed the farm with setbacks from the state’s industrial wind turbine guidelines, which is equal to the height of each tower. Mason County’s zoning calls for setbacks equal to one and a half times the height of each tower.

Bob Dolson of Scottville attended the meeting with his wife, Lorli, and both had reservations about the plan.

“My concern is not against wind energy, but I don’t think it fits the federal park,” Bob said.

He noted that the main hurdle to wind energy on private land is gathering property, but he’s pretty sure the land in the National Forest wasn’t set aside for industrial purposes.

Lorli said she sold real estate for 21 years and knows there are beautiful homes in the Cooper Creek and surrounding areas.

“These people are seasonal people,” she said. “Were they notified so they could come here and complain?”

Roger Bruchan is a Cooper Creek area resident and said two or three of the turbines are very near to his back property line.

“Their big machines and we’re concerned they’ll be making big noise over a big distance,” Bruchan said. “All I’m suggesting is move these back away from residential.”

He noted that the 20-foot-wide two-track road near their property is currently covered in a green canopy of trees and if the project goes through “that’s gone.”

Wayne Andersen said he was at the meeting gathering information.

“Initially, I think it’s a feasible idea,” Andersen said. “I’m supportive of alternative energy, but I don’t have a lot of knowledge of the details.”

Ed Dennison of Hamlin Township said he not only hopes it’s a successful project but that it can be an example for the rest of the state. He said he had some questions about whether the National Forest was an appropriate place for the farm, but said having the pumped storage plant nearby was an outstanding idea.

“This is our contribution to the country,” Dennison said. “I’m hoping we can do much more of it.”

Tom Hansen is a resident of the area and said he opposed the idea.

“Three or four years ago the state spent (significant money) to prevent oil wells and drilling just south of there and just north of there they want to do all this.

“Why don’t they do it 10-15 miles inland? I think Udell Hills would be ideal. Why don’t they use private land?”

George Perry said he owned 40 acres in the area with 10-12 lots near two of the turbines.

“I’m for the project, but they should move those two,” he said.

Thompson said he was encouraged by the number of people who attended and the number who took the time to raise issues or questions with him. He said oral comments communicated to staffers at the meeting would make it into the record for the project.

Asked about access to the turbines, Thompson said currently there are no fences proposed for the turbines themselves.

“What this proposal is that you can walk up and touch them,” Thompson said. “The difference is obviously with the substations, which would likely have some type of OSHA requirement (for fencing.)”

Dennis Marvin of Consumers Energy was on hand to take a look at the proposal and said wind energy and other forms of alternative energy are coming.

Under renewable energy legislation expected to be signed by Governor Jennifer Granholm in the next week or two, Consumers would be required to purchase 50 percent of its renewable energy from other suppliers and generate an equal amount on its own.