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<br />:1 <br />, <br /> <br />are consistent with an approved program for the economic development <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />of an area. <br /> <br />The San Juan Regional Commission (SJRC) of Colorado is preparing <br /> <br />an OEDP for the San Juan Region so thet the region may be declared an <br /> <br />Economic Development District. Among the economic prOblems of the <br /> <br />Region noted by the SJRC are 1) the high unemployment rate, 2) a <br /> <br />~' <br /> <br />median level of family income which is significantly below the state <br /> <br />and national median, 3) other problems related to insufficient aconomic <br /> <br />growth, such as out-migration of young people, lack of diversity in the <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />economic base, etc. <br /> <br />- <br />f <br /> <br />~I ,) <br /> <br />A related development has been the formulation of an OEDP by both <br /> <br />'~ I <br /> <br />the Southern ute Tribe (Ignacio, Colorado) and the Ute Mountain Ute <br /> <br />k: <br /> <br />Tribe (Towaoc, Coloredo). Both tribes are located within tha San Juan <br /> <br />Region of Colorado, and both are experiencing severe economic problems. <br /> <br />;'-, <br /> <br />~~' <br /> <br />Unemployment on both reservations is extremely high. In their 1975 <br />OEDP the Southern Utes estimated that their unemployment rate was <br />42.5 percent.14 Their 1977 estimate is 64 percant. In their 1976 <br /> <br />?" <br /> <br />".' <br /> <br />OEDP the Ute Mountain Utes estimate that their unemployment rate <br />15 <br />is 66 percent. <br /> <br />~~ <br />'. <br />i~ <br /> <br />'." <br />:4 <br />'-'~ <br /> <br />The other minority ethnic group that is present within the San <br /> <br />~" <br /> <br />--., <br />'4:: <br /> <br />Juan Region in significant numbers is the Spanish-American group, <br /> <br />~\. <br />,:.; <br /> <br />which constitutes approximetely one-sixth of the population of the <br /> <br />Region. This minority group has long been observed to suffer <br /> <br />relatively low incomes and high unemployment rates. <br /> <br />The presence of these minority groups within the San Juan Region <br /> <br />contributes to, but by no means completely explains, the relatively <br /> <br />poor economic performance of the Region. Unemployment rates and <br /> <br />16 <br />