Show Impact study of toil t t oil shale in Basin told The second phase of the socIoeconomic socioeconomic socio- socio economic impact study of oil shale development in the Uintah Basin was presented at ata a Uintah Basin Association of Governments Governments' energy council planning meeting held Friday in the Uintah County Courthouse Cour Cour- Present to give the review of the page study were its authors Dr A A. A Berry Crawford Dr Herbert H H. H Fullerton and Dr w W Cris Lewis all of the staff of Utah State University and representing Western Environmental Environmental En En- Associates Inc TilE THE IMP IMPACT A T study has been made under the direction of Merrill Littlewood community development manager for or the White River Shale Project Earl Ramsey director of the White River Shale Project and andReeS andReeS ReeS flees Madsen environmental study tudy director Dr Lewis explained the impact study was made for the White River Shale Project based on a day barrel plant with an employment impact o of jobs in 15 years for a population impact of people The area used in the study included Uintah and Duchesne Counties and Rio Blanco Co County nty Colorado This area is projected to have population by 1991 without oil shale and with the oil shale development according to the study It was pointed out that the impact study is only for the one project and does not take into consideration other oil shale developments or o or tar sand developments A GRAVITY model distribution of population impact impact impact im im- pact was made in the study using the present distribution of population roads and proximity to the oil shale development Four cities were used for population centers Duchesne Roosevelt Vernal and Rangely and also population trends were given if ifa ifa ifa a new town was constructed ted for forthe forthe forthe the oil shale development The study projected the oil shale development over a 20 year period with willi the eighth year being the climax of activity and the fifteenth year the normal operational stage ACCORDING ACCORDING TO the study if no new town was built a peak population o of would be reached during the eighth year This population would be distributed as follows Duchesne Roosevelt 1595 Vernal and Rangely at or near site 1536 and other parts of Uintah Basin If It a new town was built the population distribution would change as follows new newtown newtown newtown town Du Duchesne Roosevelt Vernal Rangely 1238 and other parts of Uintah Basin Basin Dr Fullerton stated that a anew anew anew new town makes a tremendous difference in the distribution Of tf the population in the existing towns He pointed out Ithe the estimates for the gravity model would change if variables such as new roads community attractions attractions at at- tractions aggressive leaders changed to attract ct more people into a given area AN ATTITUDE study tudy made by telephone calls each in inthe inthe inthe the various towns aski asking g survey questions was explained by Dr Crawford Most p people ople in the survey were in favor of the oil shale development because of the economic growth it would bring to their U areas area's areas Dr Crawford stated I Earl Ramsey Hamsey stated the two problems facing the oil shale industry area are financing and demon demonstrating tra ling sufficient nt technology to entice private industry to invest in the operations SOME KIND of financial guarantee will be required before private industry can an cope with the oil shale development Ramsey stat stated d. d With the price o of oil going back and forth private industry cann cannot t afford to invest heavily in the oil shale pro process ess A guarantee price for oil guarantee loans and money for financing front end e help from such huch agencies as the Energy Research and Development nt Administration is needed The impact study covers the following impact topics employment employment employment em- em em em- population income land water community infrastructure in- in infrastructure in socio-cultural socio impact on Ute Tribe archaeological archaeological ar ar- ar and historical impacts demographic trends and crime rates Mil l LITTLEWOOD stated We had to make some assumptions on the oil shale impact and this is the first good look at the impact on the basin which has been made We cannot make any hard fast conclusions but the three doctors from have been working on one year on the report and still many things can change it |