Lycoming County commissioners voted to approve Resolution 2025-21 authorizing the sale of subsurface rights to Range Resources for a purchase price of $5,400,000 and the county’s assignment of a 2% royalty interest on future oil, gas and hydrocarbon proceeds. The motion passed by voice vote.

County officials said the negotiated agreement provides both an immediate budgetary infusion and a potential long-term revenue stream. “We achieved a great outcome,” said Brett (role not specified in the transcript), who described months of negotiation with geological experts and multiple permutations of the deal. Commissioners said outside counsel and consultants worked alongside county staff during the multiyear process.

The county explained the transaction covered county-owned subsurface rights on property described in the meeting transcript as “approximately 13 50 acres” and stressed the sale is intended to provide both an upfront payment and recurring royalty income. Officials said the acreage figure in the public remarks was unclear in the spoken record and will be reflected in the final sale documents. County representatives told commissioners that the negotiations had been extensive but cooperative, with opposing lawyers and experts meeting without heated exchange.

Josh (role not specified) and other consultants were singled out by speakers for providing technical analysis that helped the county reach agreement. Commissioners described the funds as a “windfall” relative to prior expectations and said the payment will help address immediate budget pressures while the royalty assignment will provide ongoing receipts. One commissioner observed that some of the money had already been committed in the controller’s office budget, underscoring that the funds will be incorporated into county budgeting processes.

The board indicated it would issue a press release later the same day announcing the transaction and thanked staff and outside advisers for their roles in negotiating the agreement. No further details about the precise acreage, timing of closing, or how the county will allocate the proceeds were provided during the meeting.

The sale was presented as fully negotiated at the time of the vote; commissioners approved the resolution and directed staff to proceed with the closing and public notification process.