Forget the debate over whether there are more people who favor wind farms or oppose it, the silent majority in Kittitas County are those who wish the projects to be resolved one way or the other.

Wednesday's decision by the Kittitas County commissioners to reject Horizon Wind Energy's Kittitas Valley Wind Power Project may or may not be good news for those folks.

Does this mean the project is dead? Maybe, maybe not. It depends whether Horizon proceeds with taking proposal to the state Energy Facilities Site Evaluation Council. It's an option that's on the table.

There's no debate that this issue has elicited strong passions. For people with property near the project they fear losing the substantial investment they have made in their land and homes. It's not hard to put yourself in those peoples' places and imagine having the same feelings.

For people in support of the project, wind turbines represent an opportunity to explore wind energy ­ a renewable, pollution-free form of power. It's hard to argue against that, especially given rising fuel prices.

It’s not a matter of what party is right, or more passionate, but whether the projects are in the right place. The Kittitas County commissioners decided the Kittitas Wind Power Project, as proposed by Horizon, is not compatible with surrounding land uses.

The decision is open to criticism, but the commissioners did meet the one important standard of exhaustively following the public process. You can argue in favor of the wind power projects, as the Daily Record editorial board has done, and accept a decision reached through a thorough, fair public process.

These are huge, complicated issues so expecting quick decisions is unrealistic, but hopefully one thing learned through these extended discussions is that clearer guidelines are needed both for people buying property in the county and for companies investing in wind power projects