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<br />I'" <br />0) <br />.-j <br />o <br />c.J <br />':::;J <br /> <br />Chapter III <br /> <br />AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND <br />ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES <br /> <br />Since the economic decline that began in the region in 1982, the <br />unemployment rate increased to an average of 11.4 percent in 1984. The <br />labor force numbers stabilized over the 1982 through 1984 period while <br />employment has declined. <br /> <br />Recent trends indicate recovery within the county. In 1989 the average <br />workforce was 41,453 and the unemployment rate was 6.9 percent. The <br />February, 1989 unadjusted unemployment rate was 9.5 percent while the same <br />figure for 1990 was 8.0. <br /> <br />Housina.--In 1980, the Bureau of the Census reported that 32,265 housing <br />units were available for 29,503 households, an excess of 8.6 percent, which <br />has increased since the 1980 census due to the economic decline and <br />outmigration since 1982. An excess of housing--single family housing for <br />both purchase and for rent--presently exists in Mesa County. Because of <br />this, a decline in property values occurred. Estimates for 1988 indicate <br />42,417 housing units within Mesa County with a vacancy rate of 20.2 percent <br />and 2.55 people per unit. Grand Junction, by contrast with 14,827 units, <br />had a vacancy rate of only 8.4 percent. <br /> <br />Impacts <br /> <br />Population and Demooraohics.--Construction worker immigration is less than <br />0.1 percent of the total for Mesa County. These increases would occur in a <br />population anticipated to be at nearly 100,000 and would have little <br />impact. <br /> <br />Emolovment and Income.--The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates for <br />construction sector employment in 1987 was 2,526. <br /> <br />Construction of the recommended plan would create direct (contractor and <br />government) employment as shown in tables 6 and 7 illustrating the proposed <br />lining of the Price Ditch and construction of the Stubb Ditch pipe <br />distribution system, respectively. Over the 3-year construction period, <br />the proposed action would result in 48 work years of employment and <br />$1,646,000 in salaries in the local economy. The peak number of jobs would <br />be 41 in 1992. The government employees are assumed to be already employed <br />in the county working on other portions of the Grand Valley Project. The <br />estimated increase in jobs in the construction sector would peak at 36 jobs <br />in 1992. <br /> <br />Because the construction period for the Unit spans 3 years, the employment <br />and income increases would create a short-term impact on alleviating <br />unemployment and increasing personal income, both positive effects on the <br />local economy. The construction season for this project would come during <br />the non-irrigation season and would also coincide with the off season for <br />construction workers. With the skilled labor force available in the county <br />and the short construction period, significant immigration is not <br />anticipated. <br /> <br />Housino.--The increase in households that would occur with construction of <br />either alternative, however small, would be a positive benefit in both <br />stabilizing prices and reducing the present inventory. The increase in <br />households should not overload the housing industry, however, since the <br /> <br />32 <br />