ERIE — A federal judge in Erie has approved a $22.6 million class-action settlement between an Ohio drilling firm and about 25,000 Pennsylvania landowners who say the company underpaid royalties. A Pittsburgh newspaper first reported the settlement that was approved Friday and spelled out in more detail in documents filed with the court Monday between Range Resources-Appalachia, of Hartville, Ohio, and the plaintiffs.

In settling the case, the drilling company denied underpaying the landowners, mostly in northwestern Pennsylvania, for gas on their land or other drilling byproducts. Only 59 landowners opted out of the settlement which will pay more than $1.3 million to the land owners initially, plus increase their royalties more than $16.6 million over the next five years. The plaintiffs’ attorneys will collect more than $4.6 million in fees.