GLOUCESTER, MASS. — There is nothing like the beauty of the Massachusetts coastline of Gloucester, incorporated in 1642, north of Boston. But marring the skyline are three huge windmills that tower above the Gloucester harbor and beach.

The three windmills were erected in 2012. One, with a 2.5 megawatt turbine, was set up by Varian Semiconductor. It cost $8 million to build, with 30 percent of that total covered by the federal government under President Obama’s economic stimulus program.