GENERAL32961

• Permit No: M1999002
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 8/18/1998
• Doc Name: COMMERCIAL MINE PLAN SUBMITTED TO BLM SECTION 7
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

•

Table 7-9 County Population Growth.
Annualized
Percent Change Growth Rate
County 1980 1985 1990 1996 1990-1996 Since 1980
(Percent)
Rio Blanco County 6,350 6,019 6,051 6,964 +15.1 0.6
Garfield County 22,972 25,163 29,974 36,832 +22.9 3.7
Source: Colorado Department of Local Affairs 1997a
7.14.1.2 Housing
The vast majority of homes in the socioeconomic study area are owner-occupied,
single-family homes. Available rental housing consists of single-family homes and
mobile home units, as well as a modest number of apartments, condominiums, and
townhomes. Since 1990, housing vacancy rates in the socioeconomic study area
have dropped significantly in response to population growth and are currently very
low. Current vacancy rates in Rifle are about 2.0 percent (City of Rifle 1998), and the
residential vacancy rate in Glenwood Springs was reported to be just 1.6 percent in
1997 (Colorado Department of Local Affairs 1997b).
In response to the substantial increase in demand for housing in Garfield County,
recent construction activity has increased the stock of available housing. However,
housing construction has not kept pace with population growth. From 1990 to 1996,
260 housing units were constructed in Rifle, which constituted a 12.6 percent
increase in available housing, yet the vacancy rate remains around 2 percent.
Similarly, the number of housing units has increased by 101 percent in New Castle,
12.7 percent in Silt, 29.6 percent in Parachute, about 30 percent in Battlement Mesa,
and 13.5 percent in Glenwood Springs, yet residential vacancy rates in those
communities are also approximately 2 percent or less. By contrast, housing
construction has been modest in Rio Blanco County, with just 13 housing units
built in Meeker since 1990 (Colorado Department of Local Affairs 1997c).
7.14.2 Local Economy, Employment, and Earnings
Rio Blanco and Garfield Counties have experienced broad economic swings over the
last 20 years. During the late 1970s to the early 1980s, these counties experienced
considerable economic growth associated with the energy boom. From 1983 to 1990,
the collapse in the local oil shale industry and the regional energy bust resulted i n
high unemployment and severe economic hardship for many area residents. Since
1990, the economies of Rio Blanco and Garfield Counties have diversified and
American Soda, L.L.P. '7_50
Commercial Mine Plan
August 16, 1996