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<br />• grown steadily as real estate and resort development and increased tourist visitation <br />have increased economic activity and employment opportunities. Other factors <br />contributing to this economic growth include an increase in the retirement <br />population in the area and an increase in the number of individuals providing <br />professional services outside of the area through telecommuting (Colorado <br />Department of Local Affairs 1995). This economic growth is particularly pronounced <br />in Garfield County around Glenwood Springs. <br />Major sources of employment in Rio Blanco County include the mining and oil and <br />gas industries; local, state, and federal government; retail trade; and services. Major <br />sources of employment in Garfield County include services; retail and wholesale <br />trade; local, state, and federal government; and the construction industry (Colorado <br />Department of Labor and Employment 1997). While the economy of Rio Blanco <br />County has generally diversified in recent years, the mining and oil and gas <br />industries still comprise about 21 percent of total employment. By contrast, the <br />economy of Garfield County is heavily reliant on tourism, with 25 percent of total <br />employment in the service sector and 29 percent in retail and wholesale trade. Rio <br />Blanco and Garfield Counties are currently experiencing low unemployment rates. <br />According to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, the December <br />1997 unemployment rates in Rio Blanco and Garfield Counties were 3.1 and 3.2 <br />percent, respectively, which is comparable to the State of Colorado as a whole <br />(Colorado Department of Labor and Employment 1997). Table 7-10 provides a <br />• breakdown of nonagricultural sources of employment by economic sector in Rio <br />Blanco and Garfield Counties. <br />h1 general, the mining industry provides some of the highest paying jobs of any <br />employment sector. Recent employment and wage data for Rio Blanco County <br />indicate that mining industry employment provides earnings that are <br />approximately 83 percent above the county average. Annual gross earnings in Rio <br />Blanco County as a whole averaged approximately $24,900 in 1997, while gross <br />earnings in the mining employment sector averaged approximately $45,600 <br />(Colorado Department of Labor and Employment 1997). <br />7.14,3 Community Facilities and Services <br />Employees of the proposed project would likely reside in either Meeker or Rangely <br />in Rio Blanco County or between Glenwood Springs and Parachute in Garfield <br />County. Children of permanent employees would attend public schools in those <br />communities. <br />The proposed project could increase the demand on community facilities and local <br />government services in Rio Blanco and Garfield Counties due to increased <br />population associated with new employment created by the mine. Similarly, <br />demands on local services could arise at the Piceance and Parachute Sites should <br />• emergencies occur requiring medical, fire, or law enforcement assistance. The <br />following information was derived from interviews of local government officials, <br />American Soda. L.L.P. 7_51 <br />Commercial Mine Plan <br />August 18, 1998 <br />