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• factory in 1977 and the opening of the Colorado Westmoreland Coal Mine in <br />1976. These two events moat likely resulted in higher labor force <br />participation and an excess supply of skilled and semi-skilled labor. <br />Therefore, job opportunities presented by the opening of the Colorado <br />Westmoreland mine were met primarily by the local labor force. This is not <br />the same as saying that there was no impact. There probably wns some intra- <br />county movement of workers, but little in-migration to the area. <br />The post-1977 period is characterized by: <br />• Slightly decreasing labor force participation rates; <br />• A dramatic increase in births in the area; <br />• Larger population increases annually; <br />• A significant reduction in unemployment] <br />• Significant increases in coal employment; and <br />• Slight increases in school enrollments. <br />• These factors indicate an almost total reversal in labor force dynamics from <br />1977. The coal industry became more important to the area's economy in this <br />area. However, rather than experiencing increasing local labor force partici- <br />pation rates to fill the increased job opportunities, the opportunities were <br />met by in-migr ants, the locally unemployed (or possibly the underemployed), <br />and, potentially, in-migrants who were unemployed for a period of time. The <br />dramatic increase in births, the increase in school enrollments, and the <br />decrease in labor force participation rates, coupled with large population <br />increases indicate that in-migration was the major factor in the 1978-1980 <br />period. <br />The overall conclusion of this analysis is that future increases in employment <br />opportunities in the two-county area will be met by in-migration of workers. <br />The area is essentially at full employment (as indicated by a 3.86 unemploy- <br />ment rate in 1980). Labor force participation rates could slightly increase, <br />but this would have minimal impact. This conclusion is not the same ae snying <br />that no local workers will be hired. Whnt it does imply is that any job <br />• vacancies created by hiring locals will be filled from in-migrants. <br />15 <br />