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Commission accepts socioeconomic review for pumped-storage project; workforce and housing impacts highlighted
Summary
County commissioners accepted a socioeconomic impact report for a proposed pumped-storage project, noting large short-term construction spending and workforce needs and flagging housing and service implications for Moffat County.
The Moffat County Board of County Commissioners accepted a socioeconomic impact report Tuesday related to a proposed pumped-storage energy project in the county.
Jeff Comstock of the county’s natural resources staff presented the study and told commissioners the construction period could bring a temporary influx of workers — with estimated construction employment ranging from about 250 to 1,000 workers and an average staffing level near 500 over a roughly six-year build period. He said construction spending in-county could approach $172 million during the peak activity years.
Comstock and other reviewers said an initial contractor analysis underestimated where workers would be housed; the consultant SWCA revised its model after local review to assume a greater share of the construction workforce — roughly 85% — would be housed in Moffat County rather than split among neighboring counties. Local land-use board members and the county’s reviewers contributed to that change, the presenters said.
Project representatives said federal review steps are upcoming: the developer plans to file a FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) pre-application document and expects a joint agency meeting in the spring to scope environmental studies. Presenters also noted a Department of Energy team has secured about $900,000 to study benefits of the project for the broader electric grid; presenters said the federal labs hold that grant rather than the developer.
Steve Hinckmeyer, chairman of the Moffat County Land Use Board, told the commissioners that even if 85% of workers were to live in-county “there’s no rooms for them” today and that some form of worker housing or a man camp would likely be needed during peak construction. He also urged further study of public-service implications, including impacts on law enforcement, fire and medical services for a construction population located several miles from Craig.
A commissioner moved to accept the report; the motion passed on a voice vote.
