Commissioners approve airport authority lease with Kips Run LLC for solar project, require decommissioning security

Northumberland County Commissioners on Nov. 18 adopted Resolution R41‑25 authorizing the Northumberland‑Montour Joint Airport Authority to enter a lease with Kips Run LLC to construct a solar energy facility at the airport.

The county solicitor, identified in the meeting as Mister Garrigan, said the resolution includes a decommissioning requirement. “Within 180 days of the passage of this resolution, Kips Run LLC shall provide the amount of financial security for decommissioning of the solar energy facility,” he said, citing Section 7 and language tied to a proposed Senate bill (No. 349, 2025). Commissioners confirmed the decommissioning bond language was included before moving and approving the resolution by voice vote.

Commissioners discussed concerns that some developers have left defunct panels in place when projects ended; one commissioner said the financial security is intended to ensure the company “know[s] they’ll have a bond that will get rid of it” if the lessee abandons the site. The resolution as adopted requires Kips Run LLC to demonstrate the financial security within a 180‑day window of the resolution’s passage.

The action was presented as a solicitor’s report item and advanced through a standard voice vote. No further conditions or amendments to the lease text were recorded in the meeting transcript. The county did not provide additional technical or environmental details about the planned solar facility during the meeting.

The commission moved on to other agenda items after approving the resolution.