Government officials and economic development proponents learned Monday about plans to construct a 500-megawatt wind farm on Lake Michigan bottomlands off the shores of Muskegon and Ottawa counties. The plans came from Scandia Wind and Havgul Clean energy.

Muskegon County commissioners contacted by The Chronicle about a proposed offshore wind farm here showed a range of feelings. Commissioners Ken Mahoney, John Snider and Lew Collins all said they are at least interested in exploring Scandia Wind's plan for installing turbines on Lake Michigan.

Months have passed since anyone has waved hello to one another in Waterman or Shabbona in rural DeKalb County. Some people claim they've even stopped going to church to avoid having to talk to former friends. "It's gone. The country way of living is gone," declares Susan Flex, who lives in Waterman with her husband and their nine children. The animosity stems from the greenest of energy sources: a wind farm.

Despite a federal government assessment that South Haven has "excellent" potential for generating wind power, the Lake Michigan resort community has no rules in place to regulate wind turbines that could alter its skyline. "We know that there is a potential big push for alternative forms of energy like solar and wind," said City Manager Brian Dissette.

On Earth Day 2009, New York Power Authority (NYPA) President Richie Kessel unveiled plans to industrialize Lake Ontario and Lake Erie with near shore wind turbines clustered in 120MW to 500MW arrays in waters 150 feet deep, or less. Some arrays would consist of 500 turbines towering 450'from the lake levels. NYPAs proposal was unveiled without input from the shoreline communities or businesses that will be the victims. Currently, Jefferson, Oswego, Cayuga and Wayne Counties are working towards unilateral opposition to this NYPA project in Lake Ontario.

A group of more than 100 area residents gathered at the Mills and Petrie Building on Saturday afternoon to hear the negative impact of having wind turbines in the area. A group of representatives from the DeKalb area, as well as attorney Rich Porter spoke ...DeKalb residents who have been battling with wind turbine companies since 2003 said their presentation was to educate the citizens on the adverse effects they've personally experienced.

Oceana County commissioners agreed Thursday to send the request from an offshore wind development group on to the county's planning commission for its input. Despite pressure from opponents of the proposed offshore wind farm to end the plan, commissioners decided to refer the memo from Scandia Wind to the planners for review, study and a recommendation.

With legislative recommendations officially proposed by the Great Lakes Wind Council, the Lake Michigan P.O.W.E.R. Coalition is hoping the state legislature will improve on recommendations to establish a state process to better protect the Great Lakes and local interests. The coalition also responded to the March 2 proposal by Scandia Wind LLC to reduce the size of its Lake Michigan wind farm.

The Oswego County Legislature passed a resolution Thursday that opposed the New York Power Authority's (NYPA) proposal to seek contractors to develop a Lake Ontario-based wind farm to be located near the shores of Oswego County. The resolution passed after numerous residents from Oswego County and surrounding communities spent nearly two hours addressing the Legislature, voicing their concerns with the project and, in other cases, their support of the wind farm.

Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MPP Rick Johnson has written City of Kawartha Lakes council in the aftermath of local school concerns over wind turbines. The Trillium Lakelands District School Board has officially given its backing to the Manvers Gone With The Wind group, which is looking for the Ontario government to produce an independent study on the health effects of wind turbines.

The company planning a wind farm in Lake Michigan off Pentwater appears to be developing a much broader plan as Scandia Offshore Wind has a series of three meetings scheduled Monday in Muskegon. It is likely the Norwegian wind developers will suggest additional offshore wind farm locations for Lake Michigan waters in the Muskegon area. Yet, Scandia's interests in West Michigan also appear to be greater than wind farms on Lake Michigan.

A site visit to the Massachusetts Military Reservation in Bourne to observe and learn about the operation of a large scale wind turbine brought a measure of détente between some local residents and town officials on Friday. Headwaters resident Noreen Donahue said the wind turbine which is similar in size to the one proposed for her neighborhood was a little smaller than she anticipated.

The Mason County Board of Commissioners Tuesday discussed setting up a meeting, possibly in May, to take comments on and learn more about the offshore wind farm proposal it is to vote on by September. Scandia Wind/Havgul Clean Energy have proposed constructing 50 to 100 wind turbines in Lake Michigan, from off the Ludington Pumped Storage Plant south to Pentwater, 4 miles offshore.

A new potential roadblock has been raised to a commercial wind farm that developers want to build in Ira and Poultney. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says the ridgelines being considered for the project are rare and irreplaceable natural areas that should be protected.

Three months ago, Ocean Gate was abuzz with excitement as it prepared to celebrate a windmill, which local officials said would lower the electric bills at the municipal building. But shortly after the switch was turned on, problems began. Residents living on three sides of the turbine began to complain about the noise - a constant metallic drone - as well as light reflecting off the rotors. With the prospect of another 50-kilowatt windmill being built in the next year, the complaints have gotten louder.

The Michigan Great Lakes Wind Council spent a year studying the issue of offshore wind farm locations before providing its recommendations to the state's legislature. Now that work is done, the council has scheduled three public meetings to learn what the public thinks (see schedule).

Planning Commission members tabled further discussion on a wind turbine ordinance for Kochville Township Monday after a presentation by Bruce Palmer, zoning and planning administrator for Bridgeport Township. Palmer shared the process and eventual ordinance that Bridgeport put together to regulate the growing demand for wind turbines at businesses and residences in its township.

The Mason County Board of Commissioners concluded Tuesday that a decision on a proposed offshore wind farm in Lake Michigan should be made after a joint meeting with the Oceana County Board. Chairman Michael Schneider reminded fellow board members that this is the first written and signed proposal they've had from Minnesota-based Scandia Wind LLC and Havgul Clean Energy AS of Norway.

The Chesterfield-based company forced a public inquiry after Cherwell councillors unanimously voted against plans to build a £10m wind farm on land at Willowbank Farm, just south of the M40, last April. And yesterday residents took turns to tell planning inspector John Watson why he should throw out the appeal.

In its newest proposal released Tuesday night, Scandia proposes to reduce the wind farm from 1,000 megawatts to 500 megawatts. It's also proposing to reduce the area from 100 square miles to 50 square miles. The minimum offshore distance would be four miles. The newest proposal also shows the southern most end due west of Pentwater harbor.