The benefits are huge, but the controversy over wind farms is even greater. The head of the New York Power Authority was in Watertown Tuesday to discuss a proposal to build wind turbines in Lake Ontario. Our Katie Gibas tells us which way the winds settled on the idea of an offshore wind farm.

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"We need wind to expand in this country if we want to get away from OPEC and our reliance on fossil fuels," said Richard Kessel, New York Power Authority CEO.

"I'm adamantly opposed to it, and I just think the long term impacts would be paid for a long time after the potential for the temporary jobs," said Barry Ormsby, Jefferson County legislator.

The head of the New York Power Authority addressed the Jefferson County Legislature Tuesday night to clear up misconceptions and encourage the board to entertain the idea of an offshore wind farm, but legislators were not swayed on their opposition.

"Let's take a look at the project first. We don't have a project yet, so I think for people to complain about a project when they know nothing about it because there is none at this point, it's premature. I think it's a bad move on the part of government to go out and reject it," said Kessel.

While NYPA officials say this proposal has huge potentials for the area, including creating hundreds of jobs, legislators aren't convinced, saying it will cripple the tourism economy.

"The pristine waters of Lake Ontario and our dependency on tourism and sailing and sport fishing and just the potential for the loss of property values on the waterfront is critical," Ormsby said.

"I just don't feel whether it's 166 wind mills for 40 wind mills off the shore of Sackets Harbor or Henderson Harbor is what we need in the North Country," said Ken Blankenbush, Jefferson County legislature chair.

NYPA officials say while they're disappointed in the decision, they do have several other counties in Western New York who want the project.