The magnitude of these impacts depends upon the technology itself as well as the size. location. and other preexisting conditions of the host community. Becaue of the uncertainties involved. it Is extremr y difficult to estimate the specific costs of ommunity expansion from any type of energn facility. The Department of Energy concluded that the local impacts of a new energy facility would be "dependent upon the number of immigrants for whom public facilities. services and housing have to be provided." As stated earlier. the total population of the oilshale resource areas of western Colorado is approximately 14.000. and the State of Colorado has estimated that oil shale development could add 70.000 to 75.000 people to this population base. DOE recognized the potential Impact in sparsely populated areas of the Western United States. Its statement said: A potentially high impact community. typically located in rural isolated areas in the Western United States is unlikely to have the indigenous labor pool necessary to fill the required jobs. The community would experience rapid and substantial immigration with characteristic boomtown effects. including social disruptions. shortfalls of public facilities. services. housing and inflation. Governor Lamm of Colorado argued that the explosive population growth associated with synfuels plant development would affect more than the local and State budgets and the quality of life in local communities. He stated that: The issue of explosive. unplanned growth not only affects the people living in the community. but the productivity of the community itself.
Keywords matched
immigration immigrants