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<br />house the non-local construction work force. In Ritle and Parachute alone, there are <br />• over 300 motel rooms that could potentially accommodate the entire crew of non- <br />local construction workers. There are several trailer parks in the project region that <br />could accommodate workers with motorhomes and travel trailers. Should a <br />shortage of motel units and trailer park spaces arise, construction workers would <br />have to find temporary housing farther away from the project area, such as in Mesa <br />County. To prevent potential adverse impacts associated with workers camping in <br />unauthorized locations, American Soda will require all of its contractors to obtain <br />suitable temporary housing arrangements for their workers and to prohibit <br />unauthorized camping. <br />Operating Phase <br />Yankee Gulch Project operations would employ approximately 140 permanent <br />workers over its operational life. Since American Soda has committed to hiring <br />local area workers to the extent practical to staff the project, there would be minimal <br />population impacts within local communities. Assuming that 20 percent of the <br />operational work force was hired from outside the region because of requirements <br />for specialized expertise unavailable locally, approximately 30 workers and their <br />families would move to communities in the two-county project area. Although <br />housing vacancy rates are currently low in many communities in the vicinity, it is <br />assumed that these communities could easily absorb the additional 30 workers and <br />• their families that would move into the local area as a result of the project. Thus, <br />population and housing impacts associated with the project over its operational life <br />are considered to be small. <br />8.13.2 Local Economy, Employment, and Earnings <br />The Yankee Gulch Project would increase employment in Garfield and Rio Blanco <br />Counties, both during the construction phase and over the operational life of the <br />project. This increased employment would increase earnings of local area residents <br />and stimulate the local economy as a result of employee spending activity. <br />Construction Phase <br />As indicated in Section 8.13.1, above, during the 1- to 2-year construction phase of <br />the Yankee Gulch Project, American Soda would utilize a construction work force of <br />up to 390 workers at its peak, and the construction work force wilt comprise both <br />local and non-local construction workers. <br />Non-local construction workers utilized for mining and oil and gas projects are <br />typically paid a per diem rate for daily housing and meal costs. Workers spend their <br />per diem on mote] accommodations, trailer park space rent, restaurant meals, <br />groceries, gasoline, and other goods and services while they are present in the local <br />communities during the construction season. The spending activity associated with <br />the Yankee Gulch Project construction work force would have a positive economic <br />Amencan Soda, L.L.P. 8-36 <br />Commercial Mine Plan <br />August IB, ]996 <br />