Laserfiche WebLink
Noise duration from truck hauling would increase if production were <br /> increased to 1. 3 million tons per year. Presently one shift operates <br /> per day with an average 100 round trips per shift. The schedule varies <br /> with four weeks operation between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. ; and , two <br /> weeks operation between 3:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. <br /> The increase in truck haulage would cause noise impacts from heavy <br /> truck traffic at the rate of 208 truck round trips per day, continuously <br /> from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. , 250 days per year. <br /> This increase in noise would be a significant impact to the quality <br /> of life of a number of residents in the vicinity of the haulage route. <br /> Noise intensity and duration would remain essentially the same at <br /> the mine. The- company has stated to BLM personnel that it is installing <br /> noise abatement equipment at the loadout facility. Depending on the <br /> degree of- effectiveness of the equipment, noise may be lowered from the <br /> facilities. CWI presently works the mine two shifts (16 hours) per day <br /> for 250 days per year. <br /> Socioeconomic Conditions. Increased employment at the Orchard <br /> Valley Mine would affect socioeconomic conditions in Delta County, - <br /> particularly in the Paonia area. Company officials indicate that <br /> approximately 95 new miners would be required to achieve the desired <br /> production and that their trucking contractor would require approxi- <br /> mately 8 new drivers. In the past, the strong local hiring policy of <br /> CWI has been effective and about 90 percent of its work force has come <br /> from the Delta County area. Currently, about 645 applications from <br /> local people are on file with the company. If it is assumed that future <br /> hiring would follow this same pattern, it would be necessary for the <br /> company to bring in only 10 workers from other areas due to unavailable <br /> skills in the local market. However, both this possibility, and the <br /> possibility that all additional workers would be hired from outside the <br /> area will be analyzed. <br /> A major result of increased employment at the Orchard Valley Mine <br /> would be population growth in Delta County. If hiring were done locally <br /> the population could be expected to grow by 55 persons. However, it <br /> must be assumed that some of the employees would leave jobs to be filled <br /> behind them or else would be young people who otherwise would leave the <br /> area to find employment. Because of this the total effect on population <br /> growth would probably be greater than the estimated 55 persons. The <br /> extent to which this would occur and therefore the associated population <br /> changes are undeterminable at this time. <br /> If the new employees come from outside the immediate area the <br /> population would increase by 560 people. This would include families <br /> and additional people to fill vacancies left as workers quit existing <br /> jobs to work for CWI. This is considered to be the most likely result <br /> of the increase in production. <br /> 15 <br />