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- 12 - Salt Creek Mining Company has proposed to partially backfill mine portal bench. Natural slopes in the vicinity are very backfilling of the .existing cut slopes would be difficult. not provided enough analysis to suggest that the slopes will partially backfilled situation (See stipulation in preferred tion). Socioeconomics Assessment cut slopes at the steep and complete The applicant has be stable in a alternative sec- The Salt Creek Mining Co. currently employs 15 persons (7 hourly, plus cleri- cal and supervisory) for the HcClaae Canyon Mine. Hourly operating personnel work at the mine site, approximately 20 miles north of Loma, Co ., on I-70 west of Grand Junction. According to the Company, the number of employees will not vary from the current 15 during the projected 2-3 year life of the exploratory mining oeration. The Company reported that all employees reside in the Fruits-Grand Junction area. Only one did not live in the area before being employed. Employees commute to work via car pool or private auto. Since the mine site is actually in Garfield Co., that county will receive the direct benefit of the increase in assessed valuation due to mine property and equipment. Mesa County will benefit to a lesser degree from purchases by mine employees, as well as residential property taxes. Earlier projections of mine-induced revenues in the East-Central Colorado Coal Environmental State- ment, BLM, 1978. p. 796, were $4,000,000 for Mesa County and considerably more for Garfield Co. However, these estimates were based on the expectation of a much larger operation getting underway sooner with several hundred employees. During this exploratory phase of the McClave Canyon Pline, the public revenues generated by only 15 employees residing is Mesa Co. would be relatively minor. Fifteen varied energy development projects are planned in the Grand Junction impact area by 1985. Population and employment are projected to grow an addi- tional 20 to 50 percent - without considering the McClave Canyon Mine. Ex- tensive programs of capital improvements are being planned by Mesa County, af- fected towns and School District 51. Funding assistance is anticipated from outside sources (Oil Shale Trust Fund, Energy and Mineral Impact Funds and various grants such as FHA and EPA, etc.) as well as local sources such as an increase in the sales tan. Nevertheless, because of the extensive nature of required capital improvements, deficits in funding appear inevitable for vir- tually alI governmental jurisdictions - especially in view of uncertain Fed- eral grants. Conclusion: In and of itself, continuation of this exploratory project at the McClave Canyon Mine will not cause any significant, adverse socioeconomic im- pact on Mesa County and other local entities. When compared to the overall growth trend in Mesa County, the immediate impact of :icClane Canyon is neglig- ible. If the exploration is successful, and an application to proceed with full-scale coal production at McClave Canyon is received, an extensive review of cumulative socioeconomic impacts will be required at that time. Full- production plans ca 11 for an eventual cork force of 900 employees at McClave Canyon.