COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY GREAT DIVIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COALITION (CARBON COUNTY AND SWEETWATER COUNTY, WYOMING) November 2012 PREPARED BY COMMUNITY BUILDERS, INC. Bobbe Fitzhugh and Joe Coyne, Consultants 873 Esterbrook Road, Douglas, WY 82633 www.consultCBI.com Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy - GDEDC Page 1 This Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy was prepared under the direction of the Great Divide Economic Development Coalition with financial assistance from a Community Development Block Grant received through the Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors Councilman Lisa Maes, Chair (Green River) John Radosevich, Vice Chair (Sweetwater County) Stacy Crimmins, Secretary (Carbon County) Councilman David Tate, Director (Rock Springs) Councilman Cindy Chace, Director (Medicine Bow) Councilman Barbara Rodriguez, Director (Rawlins) Craig Nelson, Director (Sweetwater County) Sid Fox, Director (Carbon County) Staff Cindy Wallace, Executive Director Carbon County Economic Development Corporation 215 West Buffalo Street, Suite 304 Rawlins, Wyoming 82301 307-324-3836 [email protected] This publication was prepared for the Great Divide Economic Development Coalition. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Wyoming Business Council or the Economic Development Administration. Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy - GDEDC Page 2 Table of Contents Contents Page Executive Summary.............................................................................................................................................. 6 Introduction; Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 7 Public Participation Plan ............................................................................................................................... 8 Demographic and Socioeconomic Data ..................................................................................................... 10 Population Estimates ................................................................................................................................... 10 Components of Population Change ........................................................................................................ 11 Households ...................................................................................................................................................... 13 Population by Age Group ........................................................................................................................... 13 Population by Race and Origin ................................................................................................................. 14 Educational Attainment .............................................................................................................................. 14 Labor Force ...................................................................................................................................................... 15 Employing Units............................................................................................................................................. 16 Employees ........................................................................................................................................................ 17 Average Wages ............................................................................................................................................... 19 Employment by Industry ........................................................................................................................... 20 Income ............................................................................................................................................................... 25 Eligibility for EDA Funding ........................................................................................................................ 26 Poverty .............................................................................................................................................................. 34 Geographic, Climate, Environmental and Natural Resource Profile .............................................. 36 Location and History .................................................................................................................................... 36 Climate ............................................................................................................................................................... 37 Natural Resources ......................................................................................................................................... 39 Infrastructure ...................................................................................................................................................... 43 Water .................................................................................................................................................................. 43 Sewer.................................................................................................................................................................. 44 Solid Waste Management ........................................................................................................................... 44 Telecommunications .................................................................................................................................... 45 Energy Distribution ...................................................................................................................................... 47 Transportation ............................................................................................................................................... 48 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy - GDEDC Page 3 Major Sectors of the Economy ...................................................................................................................... 53 Agriculture (AGR).......................................................................................................................................... 57 Mining (MIN) ................................................................................................................................................... 59 Construction (CON) ...................................................................................................................................... 59 Manufacturing (MFR) .................................................................................................................................. 60 Transportation and Warehousing (TRA) ............................................................................................. 60 Health Care and Social Assistance (HEA) ............................................................................................. 61 Accommodation and Food Services (ACC) .......................................................................................... 61 Relationship to Global Economy .................................................................................................................. 62 Local advantages and disadvantages ..................................................................................................... 62 Factors that Affect Economic Performance ............................................................................................. 63 Quality of Life Factors that Affect Economic Performance ................................................................ 73 Housing ............................................................................................................................................................. 73 Health Services ............................................................................................................................................... 77 Schools ............................................................................................................................................................... 79 Educational, Cultural, and Recreational Facilities ............................................................................ 81 Public Safety .................................................................................................................................................... 83 Environmental Issues .................................................................................................................................. 84 State of the Regional Economy ..................................................................................................................... 86 Strengths and Weaknesses ........................................................................................................................ 86 Opportunities and Threats ........................................................................................................................ 88 Partners for Economic Development ......................................................................................................... 91 Resources for Economic Development ...................................................................................................... 93 Vision: Where do we want to be? ..............................................................................................................