Supporters cited their sheer numbers during the public hearing meant to offer comments on the wind farm's supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

In the meantime, opponents argued that subsidies, potential loss of property value and other negatives would hurt the town.

Many speakers also pushed for the town to make a final decision on the project, which was formally proposed in 2005. It would include up to 38 turbines in Perry and Covington, compared to the 60 turbines originally planned.

Project supporters -- most wearing T-shirts from the Citizens for Wind Energy group -- spent most of their time reading from a list of several hundred people they said supported the Dairy Hills project.

Marilyn Dukelow said a smaller-scale project would reduce the amount of vegetation that needed to be cleared. She said she and her husband are farmers, and that farmers wouldn't allow the turbines if they were going to ruin the farmland.

Linda Huffman said the names the supporters read were local instead of places such as Prattsburg and Cohocton, and represented the people who count and live in the community.

But opponents cited potentially ill effects if the project moves forward.

Bruce Tillapaugh said he lives on Lake LeRoy road, and that the project failed to prove without a doubt it was the best choice. He mentioned numerous concerns including migrating birds, and negative impacts on agricultural production and property values.

Donna Tillapaugh noted there still hasn't been a decision on the project. She alleged Horizon Wind Energy, the project's developer, hasn't been open or truthful from the start.

"Obviously if these turbines were such a good thing, why are we still beating around the bush?" she asked.

Gerald Sahrle noted the project will cost about $160 million to $180 million to construct, and cited health and economic concerns. He said the reduced impacts noted in the SEQR were simply because the Dairy Hills was physically smaller, with no real change for the properties still in the turbine zone.

"The only place (the mitigation) will occur in the project is where it has been eliminated," he said. "The effect will be the same for the rest."

And opinions continued to vary, though supporters stuck largely with reading their list of names.

Ann Burlingham of Suckerbrook Road said she supported the project and the supplemental DEIS, saying Dairy Hills will be a significant source of revenue.

She first heard about the project, she said, before she became pregnant, and her son's now 6 years old. She said she hopes it will move forward.

Dick Green of Burke Hill Road said the smaller project is only "a foot in the door" and would only be the start of many more turbines.

He said Energias de Portugal, of which Horizon is a subsidiary, is valued at more than $1 billion, and said he believes a Payment In Lieu of Taxes plan for Dairy Hills would be inappropriate given the company's value.

He said the company doesn't want to pay its full share, and argued no gifts, PILOT plan or bailouts could make up for the losses if the viewshed is altered.

"Horizon always said they'd wanted to be a good neighbor," he said. "Folks, all my neighbors pay their taxes."

Louis Ghise of Covington said the project will bring an enormous negative impact. Among other things, he noted the area's beauty and rural nature, and said crisscrossing them with access roads, power lines, blinking lights and 400-feet tall blades would ruin the view.

Stan Rogers of Pavilion, speaking on behalf of Myron Rogers, said the economic impact will be far in excess of that from any other source. He said the income could be used to improve infrastructure including water and sewer lines and sidewalks.

He also noted some residents' concerns over blasting for the project.

"I've worked in construction, and any blasting done on windmills will not be nearly as loud as the thunderstorms we had last night," he said.

The statements for and against continued into the evening, with supporters and opponents discussing subsidies, positive and negative environmental impacts, and similar factors. Comments on the supplemental DEIS will be accepted through Aug. 31.