The first public presentation of a plan to build as many as 200 windmills in a 100 square mile stretch of Lake Michigan off the coast of Ludington generated numerous concerns among locals this week.

The Ludington Daily News reports that representatives of Havgul Energy and Scandia Wind told locals that the wind turbines would stand 300 feet above the water, 3.7 miles off shore and would produce 1,000 megawatts of electricity.

Company representatives said that the Lake Michigan location would allow for connection to existing transmission lines and position it well to serve power markets in Milwaukee and Chicago.

They said they were seeking local support for the project before applying for permits.

Many attendees of the presentation at Westshore Community College were reportedly disturbed by images of the proposed windmills, and many expressed concerns about their potential effects on birds, boating, fishing, airplane and noise pollution.

The project also faces regulatory hurdles.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have joint jurisdiction over granting permits for offshore projects and they have not yet developed criteria for use in reviewing applications for offshore wind energy facilities. That means it may take time for them to create the criteria and have it approved by the state and federal government before the DEQ and Corps can even begin to consider looking at a proposal.

The Lower Peninsula’s west coast has been recognized by the state Public Service Commission as a place with good potential for wind development.