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Show PARC II DESCRIPTION OF REGION In the late l8OOfs and early 1900's the growing populations, "both within the region and in the adjacent metropolitan areas, provided an ex- panding coal market for heating and industrial uses. For a time coal pro- duction was of major economic importance. After World War II the substi- tution of gas for coal as a fuel and the adoption of diesel power on the railroads caused a major decline in coal mining. Towns such as Rock Springs in Wyoming, Price and nearby mining towns in Utah, and similar areas scattered through the Colorado part of the region suffered heavy economic displacements and loss of employment that led to distress that only now is "beginning to moderate. The decline in coal production was precipitous and many mines, even whole camps and towns, were closed and abandoned. The trend has "been reversed in recent years as demands in- crease for coal for the generation of thermoelectric power. Soaring de- mands for electric power have recently led to the development of strip- mining techniques and the construction of mine-mouth powerplants. These have resulted in increased coal production "but with only little recovery of coal mining employment. Mining of molybdenum in western Colorado was started during World War I. Production grew rapidly and now about half of the free world's production is obtained from the area. Uranium-vanadium deposits have been mined sporadically since about the turn of the century. Exploration and mining boomed during and fol- lowing World War II with the development of atomic fission and the de- mands for atomic energy. At that time the Government was essentially the only customer, and exploration and production were slowed when sup- plies exceeded the demands. Since 1965 a new boom has been taking place to meet the needs of power producers who have been ordering increasing numbers of nuclear-fueled generators. While surface outcroppings were well explored in the earlier boom, extensive drilling is now being under- taken by larger companies. Radioactive mineral deposits in the region are among the greatest known in the world today. Production of oil and gas in the region dates from the early 1900 's. Petroleum booms came with the discovery of the Rangely field in western Colorado in the 19^-0's and the Greater Aneth field in southeastern Utali in the late 1950's. Activity in exploration has tapered off in recent years with the drilling of many unsuccessful wildcat wells. Timber harvesting began with the early settlers who produced lumber for home and business construction, rail ties, mine props, fuel wood, and poles. During the period I868-I905 several million railroad ties were cut for the Union Pacific Railroad. The accessibility and abundance of this forest product were major factors in the completion of the trans- continental railroad and its subsequent expansion to the early settle- ments of the region. In recent years, with new methods of utilization and processing, uses for the local timber resources have been greatly expanded and timber has become of major importance to the local economy. 11 |
