CHEYENNE -- A state board has approved a special-use lease for a $4 billion wind farm in Converse County, the latest -- and biggest -- of several wind power projects in the area.

Before their vote Thursday, the State Board of Land Commissioners heard a complaint about a lack of information provided by Clipper Windpower Development Co. officials to its new neighbors.

"I'm here today unfortunately to tilt at windmills," said Doug Cooper, a Natrona County rancher with grazing leases in Converse County.

According to state board information, the project will be built in phases, with a total capacity of 2,000 megawatts from 800 turbines. The Clipper project would be larger than wind farms already announced by Rocky Mountain Power, Duke Energy and Chevron Global Power in Converse and Natrona counties.

Of the 800 turbines, 51 would be on state land. Of the total $4 billion cost, $250 million would be on state land.

The total project will encompass 109,740 acres, including 7,614 acres of state land.

The project would border Cooper's private land and his Bureau of Land Management leased land.

Cooper said he and other state leaseholders affected have not been informed on the location, type of roads or access, and are concerned about such things as dust during a prolonged construction period.

He questioned whether he and the others would lose their ability for aerial predator control and spraying once the turbines are in place.

"I recognize the benefit to the school trust," Cooper said.

Although no one can tell him where the project will be built, "they say it will not harm me," he added.

He said he is accustomed to negotiating with oil and gas people and realizes he will have a chance to testify when the wind project goes before the Industrial Siting Council.

Gov. Dave Freudenthal, the chairman of the State Board of Land Commissioners, said he agreed with Cooper that the project will benefit the state school trust but might hurt lessees.

Wind power leases, he said, are new to the state board.

"It's unfortunate for you that you're the first cattle through the chute," Freudenthal said.

"There are growing pains with this," said Auditor Rita Meyer.

Treasurer Joe Meyer said the company won't decide on a location for many months. The board, he said, does not want to discourage the company from locating on state land.

Lynne Boomgaarden, director of the Office of State Lands, said the wind power companies, unlike oil and gas companies, aren't accustomed to negotiating with landowners.

The board approved the special use lease for 35 years.

A total of 10 state grazing lease holders are within the area of the Clipper project. Three of them have objected, said Butch Parks, commercial property manager, and Jim Arnold, assistant director of real estate management for the state land office.

"We have been in quite lengthy discussions with Mr. Cooper as well as answering his questions. The company basically has responded to his questions on a couple of occasions and has offered to bring development personnel to meet with him on the property," Arnold said.

A request for a response from Clipper Windpower Development of Carpinteria, Calif., was not returned Thursday or Friday.

Hundreds of wind turbines are slated for construction in Wyoming in the next few years. The Clipper project would be almost as big as the largest of those planned in Wyoming: Denver-based Anschutz Corp.'s proposal to erect 1,000 wind turbines near Rawlins.

Others in Converse and Natrona counties include Duke Energy's 66-turbine plan for western Converse County, Rocky Mountain Power's plans for about 160 turbines near Glenrock, and Chevron Global Power's 11-turbine project on the former Texaco refinery site northeast of Evansville.