CANONSBURG — A federal judge has been asked to approve a nearly $29 million settlement between a Western Pennsylvania drilling firm and Pennsylvania leaseholders.

Range Resources, which has a division based near Canonsburg, would pay about 2,000 Pennsylvanians who leased their land for drilling about $1.75 million immediately and more than $20 million over several years.

The settlement, which must still be approved by a federal judge in Erie, was prompted by a 2008 class-action lawsuit.

The property owners claimed Range Resources didn't fairly compensate them for drilling rights. Range Resources is not acknowledging wrongdoing.

The proposed settlement was filed last week and is estimated at more than $28.7 million, including about $7 million in attorneys' fees.