a l - arlis · cordova is located near the atern entrance of prince ~jilliam souild betwen...

4 SOCXOEt2ONObfPC SEmlNC a a a + , + . * a a . a * - * a a + L

@YEK%-TEkv * . . * s l * 1 * I * r I X . * * i . - h . . * * X t ( r * . , _ ( * a r r I r a * * * c s , - n - x a * * . 1 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TaPULAnON ..- .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

E42OHO&IY , , , . , , , , , , , , , , , ~ , , . . * s e e Y 1 " L 1 I ~ - * a a ~ ~ a l i * e ~ - a ~ s ~ w 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 CPaYa-RMDCOSTS.. 10

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BO%%%R COST SmSJDgE id1

r d * ~ SOCIOEIGONOI~f%C EFFECTS a * . . . . , . , .r , , . . . I U. a . LL. C ~ ~ ~ ~ % $ f ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I ~ - " I I ~ I ~ ~ ~ ' I I * - I I \ ~ ~ ~ D C X I ~ I * X I ~ ~ . P ~ L . ~ ~ R ~ I ( I " * ~

i2 EC0N@&fqf e . ~ ~ e f ( r V - i ~ * ~ I r * s ~ * I S I P ~ 1 a e 1 1 ~ X i e m s * e ~ ~ s 5 v e a r i%

* *3 R E * * * * * * * * * 1L

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POFOEATIQR ~ B P ~ D DEh10GRA4PE41C5 13 * .-= . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OfPERATBON i3 ? .uli 3 a POVjER RATE ESTRUCTfSRE . . . . . e m . . . . . . . . . . a . . . . . . . . . . . . .

E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . % f i - * P;."Iu b%OFJ<FORGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i t

PGPUEXROM AND DEbfQGRAPHPCS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4"

1 Rezcfit ppnl~gan md schwl uirafimc~t wtifn:&es for Cordowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 ............... 2 %t%aa& jghqirgs fgom commercial iish hiirvesitng. Co.pdava 6

3 Cg$rilas;i's r?cmagrii.~&ud qisge a d alarj employment: 18&4-- 1194 . . . . . . . . . . . 7 4 19@2% adi\~e~sgt: annllal esergy rms ......................... 9 . S Camgat", son aT%hg ~ICSIS of mn~e Po%%ver Creek pr3jecg &aqc$~g &fiem&irijes cr:

Coid~v"s pa:%*~r casts . . . . . . ...........................me.... $5

Ws rwfl dessfibs the ~ k n t i a l socimonomie effxts of a gmpsed 3.5 megawpatt hydraehlric

facility !]hat would be located i-d inauthcen&al Alaska on Power C r e k about 8 nliles a g l @f

Cardova. The props& facility a9;ould consist of a water i~&kbke, a 6,CM fwlt pipline md

penstock, and a powerhouse. The powerhouse would be nmr the end of Pouaer Crwk Rod,

which connwts to Gcsrdnva'~, mGntained road tnet. This r e p q was prepared untler crontm4cl by

ale Univtzrsicgr af Alasb Anchorage's Environment a d Rla tud Resources InsGtule for \I\lk&tebvaner

Enginwring Compagly (WEC). It will. be used by W G to help complete m klpplicat~n far a

Agajor Unilmstructed Project (18 CFK 4.41) ~ n d e r the Fderai Energy Regulatory Commission

lieeasing process for the proposed facility. Trie infonnarioii and baia used in fnili anllysis

primarily gathered frfron~ fedsrai , shte. and local government agencies; the C~+rdova E1etric

Coapnr;ve; md the opn htemteicure. In additicrl;, prscnal interviews were conduct:eri in Cordova

and by tgdet3hcttle with a range of individuals in the fishing and fish procrsaing industries,

br!siz~ess:s, and iacal govern ment .

Cordova is located near the a t e r n entrance of Prince ~Jilliam Souild betwen qrca. Hale:, QaEd

e, and M u n t Ey& md ndis about 160 miles southeast of Anchorage, 65 miles sautbmst of

!ialdez, 410 wijes northwat of J-mau, and 25 miles west of the Copper River. The communiv

i s onIy acc=ible by water and air, and i t lies between two distinct ecological zons:s--the m&ne

environment of the noahem Gulf of kalaslia including Prince Williatr? Sauna mid the Bat GM

marsklands of the Copper River Delta. The mountains surrounding Cardova r;lr,ge in height

from 3,QM to 6,000 feet, and the local climate i s maritime atd characterized by hewy

prai@ta~on a~d mderate temperamra &rougl~out ihe year. Cardova i s adjacent tn the Chugitch

National Forest, md major landowners in ti7e area include the U,S. Forest Se~~l ice, Eyg&

Co~poration, Chugash Alasb Corporation, State of Alas&. and University of Al;isb.

The afEcsr hhabita?ts of d%e Pril;ce FViilianl Sourtd ar;d Cqaper Rlver Dcita region were Chugsclr

Eski~nos and Eyati and T!ingit fndiat~s (Wunlan Relations Ara Files 1993). Zurop=ras firs:

explored the area in the late eighteecth ceiltury, jviti~ Russian fw traders coining prsina~iiy in

$each of sea otter peia. Commercial fishing, mineral expiaratioo (oi!, caa:, and capper), arid . * n~rning-r~:iaie~l industries developed ii.1 the zrea in ihe tzic nineteenth centuiry, ar~d Cordova wr,r

1 in 9 "The conzmunity was the rermii~iis of rlic Copper River R:,i:rna:I, 2~143 i t s2r~ix$

3s Q I ~ ;r$&irsy:oi-';~&m ;md ~z;s.sisipi;!ent czniisr for i i ie Kcci~ico!! ct~irpt:~* mines u:?ri! the!, sshji;ere shut .-

3 1 3 k t ? 1 C~jiim(:;cizd fi 1j3lliiig - zjlij fi~ii procesGn g iaoi; over ;ts

~~~J~~ atpza,':s dt:ji*fiifl;ifbi i f i t j i i~tf i t . ; : .~ 2ricj [ilt:j d i ~ ~ - ~ ~ l i j k l t : i i l ti;,:^ raic lty$3*y*

Like oher Mash ctommunities whose economies depend on the sea, the nunaber of p%ople living

in Cordova Buetuates mmk&Iy &tween seasons as ~ransient workers come and go in respons6: to

Cqe n d s of &e related industkes. Nonetheless, U.S, Census figures, whicia are ac:tual caunrs of

Phe number of people physicailly present at a given time, show Cordova's residenlt pcpulation ta

have remaarkably stable from the time of its founding in the early l9Ws ulatil the 19703.

k m m 1970 aid 1983, the city ' s population increased dramatically koin 1 ,164 $0 1,879. This

01 % change reflects an annexation to ehe city brat i s also attribu~ble to s ~ ~ c h factors as

divergi5cia~on of the fishing industry and to overall population ir~creases in Alaska, psirna<ly is

response to const~uction sf the Trans Alaska Pipeline and the increased state spending t i~at

followed i t s completion.

Table 1 shows ppulabon esiimata for Curdova, including U . S . Census d a ~ f r ~ m 1980 and I990

and r2l;klka Depanmcnt of L&or data from 199 1 to L995; it also shows school enrollmet~ts as a

gauge of community growth. W comparison of tile U .S. Censlls ?a& sliows that Cordova grrew

from ran es5matd 1,879 in 1980 to about 2,110 in 1990. This growth rate of aboiat ! 2 W fix the

ten-yar wkod was significantly lower illm the eshiiimilct.d 37% growth rate for Alaska as a whole.

The Alaska Department of Labor's proi~isionai estimate f ~ r July 1995 was 2,565, a ~ d the:

de~~am:~en.nt's estirn-s have ~rnair1~3 idvirruaijy s&iic since 190 1. A second ar~r~sxaiionr to rh2 city

accounts for what appPan.5 tc be a siglkilicant in-1-ease in popiliatior? between 11332 and 1994.

School enrollmmrs ~ii3ce 1983 also reflect ti;^ relative subiltty of rile conzmunity 's core

populatian, d i i io -~~l i sorne inerases are evident in the 1994 and 1995 figu.-2s.

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Cordova's ecozlomy is domiaated by thb commescial ftshiag and fish precessing iindustnit.3, and

the oommunity serves as the center far related activities for a 38,Wa) squm mile area

encompassing the Pfince William Sound and Coppr atld &ring River fisheries. In i%= ab~uk

half of' ,f@ordova households had someone woz%ng in commercid fishing md about 119% had

mmeone wole3;ing in fish processing (ISER 19933). Earnings earn these sasond! industies are

s~ibject to udide fluc&a~ons cauM by varia~ons in hawest levels and pffces. Cornmereid fishing

has brauight from atrout 14 to 40 million dollars into Ehe community m~ually sinice 1981. The

d08ia a~~oufit in 1987 and i f .$C, and has hen delining in rsent years vabbt 2). Between

1984 md 1994, the average annual n u m b r aof jobs in fish precessing (manufac!urin;g) varipd from

as lw as 188 in 1984 M as high as 445 in 1988; they r e m ~ n e d u~~der 300 for the years 1991 to

1994 (Tb1.j 3). Ofller important nongnuemmt: ntal contributors to Cordova's eG:conomy inshide

&a&, s~v i ces , transporntion, com munications, utilities, and cons trucfion . The forest products

inettrsv has gradually gained in significance in recent ymrs, an2 logging activities are currcntiy

andenday. vro:ourism is gaining in sig:~ific^r~ce as \veil and is viewed by n8iuly as hiving potential

for futtrre grocvtlr. In 1992, about 17% of Cordova households had a m e m h r wor%~g in a

recreation or t o u ~ sr12-re1ated business (ISEW 1983af,

Cc-iemmenl sp2nding ant i empioy jlient play a m4c r robe in Cordova's econcr-ry, ,.in<i about 4429;)

of i ~ d d hcpu~holds hi?&! someone elnpiogeci iin gnvernmi.n\ ill iQ92 ([Sf R ['!?nil). 'rhcsc jobs

jrar?icular!y important becca!~sc they are relatively st;:. arid ye;i.-round. isi fils: fila-?;ly 1990s 3 , Q iiF.F.,. rlurnb-r of government ,jobs i!:cseaseb in response in tbz 193. I-,atoil lyid[~$~*i. oi i -spi] ! . fhey \-efif

frt>i;l a ;;at~d ~f ?a in a Rig;) 34'7 14>92* 14. ipibj ilrey kind &-g2:-ai,c-( lo 373 ,784 by

f 99;; .,,J "1 [y++~a 7 ii . - hiii.!i,rr - ' paticr.81~ i:str be .;~:n ir.. :!le ~ t i l c r crilk i,,yint.:cl, r ; r c$~ rs i h ; ~ ~ );.(eye

>itit;ij f t ~ < ~ i i ;:pi,!! jm~ i :~ i c t ! ki*:t~$dit~~:*;s l;t>j t:;~;\ij2piib9 jtlhs iri the; ~ : + ~ b ~ ~ ~ ~ z - L ; : ~ ~ ~ - ~ ~ ~ 3 b - ~ ~ ~ ~ l ~ ~ a i i j j r ~ l ~ ~ ~ J r i ~ ; 9 ~ ~ ~ 1 1 ~ ~

- , inU,g,:t:x ~i:t:l-ioj- iul.i.ip~j iiL>na 2j.j ~ $ 1 19@$ "; 19") lii: 1989 ; 4 cuil: .).

Table 2* E: imt& gs from commercidc fish harvesting, Gordo~a~

,$ource: Airs la Commerciai Fislieries Entry iZornniission, 1995.

U.S . C2eilsus IY4d data indicate that dbout 78 9% of G'oido**a residents 15 y w r ; of age an[, o!der

were i i~ iht? work force in 1990. and 90% were employed iu civilial; occitpatierns. E3i. tlles:2, a ; g

escninattd 51%1 ~ a ~ r c rjrjvate wage aiid ial;:ry v~oyhtcrs. 23 g8 0 aovemine:rt b*d~ri<t;j-s ~ l~r i ; i i~~~~ l i ; ; n 4. 49 - > slat,. *li-id itxai), auld t l k ~ %I wrre F.*! f-ifrriployiid (j;~imaril y Yi3tiiclrrr?ci~). hkcat 2.) 37 i3f

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ l ~ ~ ~ l f ; ~ - f ~ ~ Ti\9:-12 j * ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ p : ~ ~ [%J ~ > ~ ~ ~ l l ~ ; ; ; ) j i a h { 1 jJ i f j ; ; i : tqjilg a jtJ&i 23;ticf 2 '$t3 1 ~ 5 [<*:fc-i[ 8 yi? ~~j

g;,dfqjra~~i~t~;gj ~:IV~C~:,:S. r u j ~ h i x ~ - ~ ~ ~ ~ j \ j , : ~ l g f ~ : K - ~ J + ~ : ~ & ~ ~ J ~il;an !;"{- e>acfj of 1"3"() :agri-i,,s,l r i 3 1 b C* &, i

.;b*"K'ip%?" !:rggddlj

;:c:~r.~..,i a:Z fx~:i:~c:Bc,.r~~ifing ~:n:;,ltsy~n~:w~ is in fish processing,

f'ordava'ls mdiaa hsous&dd income in 1989 wag 346,3W s,d per c a p i ~ i n c $ ~ ~ l ~ w* $23,408

compared tc the satewide ardian hous -!:~f& incone of $41.808 m d the jxr cqpi&a incow @f

$29,tjIO. ("ihes9 f 990 U .S. Census da& reflect one-tine windktf s ean& dlrrin,, Zx~@fd V@f&%

nonfm3 ~@lf=employment, which iricludes carnnriilr~ial fishing, acd the attena5;ic incarnie pit%

heusebald from this source was about S57,OCO. Eighty-one yerceni of hous@holids h~ad inilorne

fmm wag;e md d w y empIoymenr, aqd the avemge inccmr was abaut W%,SNI. Jubt 2% of

ho~:%hoids had incame from farm self-employmenr, md i t ave~~ged &our $33,700. Another I 1 W

of houshoids received ul avemge of about $7, f 00 fro% sncid sezurity; 4% rmeicrd nn averAgg

of about $6,3GO from pubkic assisiance; and 8% receivd an average of about $8,500 f h m

rekernen!. The percenage of Cardova households below the poverty !evei ;~lrrs 41.8 as oppwcd

to 9,0 an a satewide basis.

Corclava's relatively high household incomes an afFser by the community's high t:ost-a5-!ivit?g,

which i s largely a t t~buab ie to the community' depei~dencr: on air- ~41d sei~barne freight a~urd

diesel-keled e1cte-i c p w e r generators. Accordirig to the Alaska Cooprrative Extension Service

(195) i ~ c o s t atmut $140.48 per w ~ k to fed a farnily of four ir! Cordma in July IYSS cornpared

to $68.65 i!i Anchnmgc, 51 17.44 in Homer. aiid i 2 8 . 7 7 in a/a!dez S\tbsi:tence activities mdte

a: ilii-ipmsrt conciburion to d ~ c e-usromy and iilesyle of Cordova. Over h3.K of local hwuscsholds

ha~~.icsti?Li st iis~sr haif of the meat and fish they ate in i (ISER ! 99ihj, Power arc:

ex&e:nei)i high in Cordova: rhe nveiage rate per k ~ i ~ i ~ : - a i t lloi~r iri 1394 iia2; ?0.1 cellis zs crpp~sed

to 9.1 cents in 24orneriSeidot-ia. i ! .2 cents in Sewitid, ar:d 13. '1 cents iii %§alder c a b l e 4).

lirnitcrf elltry frshrry j~grmits $0 fianli,ds m*$ rc?pfls C*:e:ui&!iia's S ~ W C of

A:.!. c~gswjrg?gtgd business lax disrribileions ba Prirxc W iiiim Sm:nd csmmnnirics; cleeline$ fnim 85 F6 I% k;.als$:d:I Y ~ T B9gT $a 54% ia Fis~qi YWJ. 1992,

"iYaj C; i?~k~qa Eb&~ggic C:oatxr;krivr g rj p~wn$$ y .iugty l b cira?trgi f%*s;rwsr icr C~YI~~~~E:IZ P $4$8&~#it

~~6:~ae i~n rrf rwgl digs ?.pwcred gldcl~ie ggwf;~ijn~i pj;ggit~ ggd a sngfl hyc;rr*h"i;ttnil" rleiiiry rstf

Hurn[;4*t~.rk Cmi;, Fach ificr14spnaucr~d piant Itai sufiicie~n rai>acity u? nt@&f iihc cciigi% g3~9k

jitremed dctna3tb of 5 , W kw* iBicggi.1 r'i~cr rcjsrs tcr (:fit' ~vttgag~dl Hti cents wlb galfe~t fag the

Bveyar w&& oof 1% 1 tirraugfr tP35. and t!rr atrlity ushi tirxa~tnrj 1, Jg&3 @C&f gnlllms of 6i%.sai ti7

m@rr?t@ e)!ecirisiy in !993* which WE$ rtVflmg@ ye=. Based ali i;ie five-ydg ai~gfi~ge $ib?~

galirjn md tlre I, JtB,W gatki~~t~ us& '"33, CEQ' 5 yearly dies! f i~d bill f&r rig4:i:lrii. pcnerd&i$r;

is ~mand $ i , Ilij,0013. CEC' s hydimler. ic fnciii t g. has an iil:stal!ed utee:ctee gcne:r;taion ~ ~ d r ~ z e i t y

of 1,150 kw, and ir can provide apploxinlatrly 17% of d'orr'ava's current cne:g:y f i e ~ ~ s . Since

i t went on-liris: in June 1991. OEC peporrs i t has ird $0 diesel fuel raviclgs of aboui $880aQW.

CEC quaiifrirs fix the State of Mash's Po\:rtr Uc:i &i;alilztioi~ !T3CEl prugrarn , ~~rhiclr strbsidizss

elecrric utiii~y cclsls in ruml carnr~luniries wtirrz costs are tradiiiof~ajly higher &an in ai hain arc%s.

pxtticil?;lnb && p~~gr~ql had I-J dsed dicsei-fueled geQerato1-s $0 produce ,iiorc thm 73 $

of their eletricai consun-?tion in l$&J anti had to have had less thzn 7.iti0 rr.ep;:pJbJa:: liomrs of

r es idc t i d co~sumpiii;il during 1983. Sk:bsiu!cs are ap$' re f i r s t :',:g> kwil of' ti:& PC!"

custnmgr p:r iriofith ai2d alp tc 70 ku i i of per resiGmi p:'r i-loi;!h for consiiluniiy bciiiiigs.

tloui bjty f&:iiities it?~{ude ~i i ck~ t i ~ j z ~ g ~ 3s 5tret:i !*;g!~t~* ~ ~ j a l i , ~ ~ ai2d ~ e k v ~ r aflcj

-PI bigi{<{nnljs gicr are no: ci3rratetj foi- pr~bfi: ~1i.e ~ ~ ~ - 1 j g ~ n e n l pu:ii;c 3 iic YJ+"~F~ ah L"h,,a sate noi

<*" k t d f ~ k n$q3 J d **- i g ~+>3~ ti- j c&lts ;:<;? 1<tbxbsfi *-Be?S ,#,, res4i$et:f!aLi cusio:.rier+

resident?&, 550 commerciill. and 47 cummuni ty fa~iI i ty customers. Of the tars! Elowat: how%

~ d d , 8,073,102 or 39.8% were eligible for PCE. Residential cuslomcus acco~ tcd

far 4,8061,409 kwh or 59.5% of this mount; commerciai users accounted far 1,508,342 lcwh

or 18.7 9% ; and community facililies =counted for 1,758,35 1 kwh or 21.8 % . Th.e averaagr:

m M y eligible amclunt p r erresidefl~d customer was 424 kwh and the carre~~mndimg amount p+er

earnmer~ibd eustonler wm 229 b h ,

'She pr~~p3sed 12as$~er Cgek hflrmiw~e fac4lity is exgw$& to 'n%ve psitive effects ipn Cordova's

omy tl2at could bring same rn~d~rale grovith in the community. The level of !effed::t% would

kgg@+ly de.pend on the cost of @av8er oece thz facility eaarne on-tinz and on whether crr mt mrkei

demand for aaslxz figh md fish prducrs improves. The anricipgted cunstnlcrion and lolfiraiaianai

4?ife{:tr uF &ha project ire discussed below,

stauld be s ~ l l & in v a d s such as welding, pipe fitting, c

estimated 30% wau2d be unskjtted laborers. WEC plans to hire as many lwocal residena as

possible. Given Cordova's relatively limited (small) labor pl, some skill& pesihons ~vornld

ilezd to be frIl& by nonlocalls. The% workerr wouid be Roused either in rzn~al units i tr the

ertmmunity or in temporary housissg on-site. Th is would depend on the number of housing uni&

awjaj, as well as their availability anti cost at project s&n-up. At the present tiimp, Cordova's

rental hausing srwk gvouid be suffTcitnr to namt this need.

Chnnges ra the or ,i,:inr~;+g, .;iiic compcisit;on of Cordova's ppulation woultl be negllgilrlc

during project cp md the coii~muniiy ' s resources and infrastructure would not bc

-&:4:# Iq#~ted, -b. $4 t -3 f~8g3~~ i i i if^^^^ ..&id bc uniikely to bring ?heir families with them to r'?rdovaa dilring

iict.ir c~:rp!u;~ i~:::r:t on the prqj~*..~t. ill i ~ ~ f d i i i k l t ~ , thzse workers wornld like! y iravi: i.iie community

ijncc thrrr ji.i35 iverr complr.te~t_ as funili;i cc.n;in;t.tion- rc.la&ii employ merit oppl~rtunitics ivouid

be bias:* * , a ,

Finsa*g

mth CEG md

project. CEC i s attempting to arrange state and fderai ioms and grants, and i%riEr is w(-Jdng

private L?vesment capital. The mmnf ~ n d of financ-ing would affmt power cost-, primaily

s a con=yen= oi debt service rrgements. Proje~tions przparcsl by CEC indicaite that power

cost svings avitb the projzet v auld range from large to small in response to tiiffemt goan

Itrr#mgements Fable 5). Fr~r example, if the project were funded by the stat: a d M e n l

govemmenEts, CEC estiw~tes electric rates would drap from 20.1 cents per !kwh to betwen 14.3

to 15.1 mats per kwh d4:pnding on e9e inrerest rife. Other es~mates by CEC indicaite that p w e r

r;ites tvouid decline aD3ut 4 cents per kwh from present rates if it were to receive 50% of the

furadiag neec:ed frcm the st- 'e and federai governments (4. Robens [1995]).

Owwel%hip

BoCh CEC and W C have expressed an interest in owning d ~ e propsaj Power C r e k h y d r a ? l . e ~ c

facility. Ownership could affect power cost projeciioirs because the federal Public Utility

Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) =quires a utility to buy 13ower fra1rom a PURP?;

Qualifying FaciIity iQF) at the utiii?yis avoided cost rare. If WEC were to ow81 the facility 2nd

gain QF rtzriis for ii. pgver eos& in Cordova woiild become stabilized somcw here &round current

ntes. Elourtier. 't\rEIC has s&trd piibiicly that i t does not anricipatrl a~3 ly ing for QF status. i-f i:

were: to own the pruject, ar~d that i t xould %fork with CEC to lower power ct~sts.

h ~ > : ; ~ f : : ~ ~ - ~ ~ ~ ; ~ ~ of 691: e* - p A -3 '~~:s c f stme Power Creek project financing alternatives cn Cordova's power costs.

Operation of the proposed Power Creek hydroele,ctric facility would have positive long-term

~ffects on Cordova's economy, as reductions in eiectec power rates are expected to rkasult, tps

previousiy discussed, the degree to which rates would decline would depend largeiy on deb%

senice bur&~n:ns, and the projected reductions rzage from large to small. Rgductions in power

costs avould iower the cost-of-living and tlae costdof-doing business in Cordova. It ~ioutd improve

opnting condi~ons in the communiry's econom.ic sectors fparlicularly those requiring silbsmtial

amounts of zlectrical power) and likely lead to increases in job opprtunities. Re:sidents fwdd

have more disposable income and their demand for goods and services would b e expxtd to

increase. This, in tum, would lead to a greater variety of gcnds and sewices beinlg available in

e.td* a,,@ a community.

According to calculations done by CEC, xvith-project electric rates in Cordova could approxh

&sse in Valde.~ and in other st~arthcerserd ktlashx cuasta1 C O P I I I ~ U ~ I ~ $ties w E % $ P s ~ eeonss~ies $?Ass fw us

crrl cumlnercid fisGng and seafood processing. This would make Cordova mare e o m f ~ t ~ r i v t foi

oe~v fiskreries-related development, ai~d i t wcluid also L~eip those 5sh processors dread;. operating

in the community. If market conditions for Alaska fish were goad, lotvered power costs w~hiid

help stimulate investment in vaiue-addetl industr-ies (sucii as secooday processing of fish), wi~icir

require srlbskrrtlai clectl-icity to uprrate. Any increase iil processing activity viould, in turn, be

expiecte~ii to increase the $lel~ianci lor fish, This u;oiiltl bmeiji comrriercinl fishersi and i t wisuld

create zondiGons mure Civiuiable iu yea;-round ds c~p~ased io reasona! Rm3rsting arid prilcessing .

? f l ; . y i e 2 1 ! 3 1 e ! y n ! 3 k t 7 1 ot;?,er.cj t:ic4;rric b

ij:ritrb r . / ~ ~ l d &ciii;air such expans i i~~~ but nca i:ai.-ntee 1i.

QWGcularly to residentid consumers) would be less with the project than without. Ilil addition,

since PCE &stributlons to CEC would decrease as power costs were lowered, the projwt wouId

help the PCE program by m*ng more hads avaitable for distribuhon to olher ~ligibig

cammuni~es.

CEC currenfly aaticipates that the number of its employees would remain the same if it were to

own the proposed facility, ar.d tFizy would probably b l rduced slightly i f

@. Roberts, pers. comm .). Hewever, overdl employ meni in the electric power industry would

prohbly $remain stable, b a u s e estimates i t would hire two full- time eqcluivdent technicians

if i t w a e the owner. These workers would be hacsed on-site, and their jobs would help offset

a;rrd might fully lagpiace any lost from CEC.

As prcviousiy s ~ t e d , lowered power costs would improve: the community's cost-of-liviilg index.

lowr tile cost-of-doing business, .ytd create new jabs. These condi iions would be fr~orabie t c ~

community growth, but the degree to which i l i i s would occur woufd largely depend on maricei

conditions for fish a id fist! proriucrs, the outlook far which is not gc.ad tit this lime. Tills an:!

other significaat Pdctors {iacick of oveilai~d tral-ispor~cion io maricets and tl-anshipment 13sdes aad

distalice froin markets) would cantinut: to moderate growth in the corr~miiniiy. TEltrs, gmivtil

wutild likely catltinue ro be reiarivcl y srow , and tile comn~un l ty 's resources and i:lfiasrructu:e

would riot ii!<clp be ovcrburdeilzd.

Alash Dept. of Community and Regional Afiairs? DD. of Energy. [In press] ,Alaska electric power statistics 1960- 1994. 20th ed. 1 vol.

-- 1994. Statistical repfl of ehe Power Cost Equalia~on progmm. F i s d ygar 1993: July I, 1992-J~ne 30, 1993. 6th ed. Anchorage, .$K. 12 pp.

Col'dava, City of. 1995. Comprehensive development pi=$. Final draft, July. 83 pp.

Cordova Electric Cmwrabve, Irrc. 119951 Power Creek Hydroelectric Project: (,amparison of financing alternatives. CEC preliminary rale study by rate class. 1 table.

Fried, %. 1994. A trends profile-the city of Cordova. Alaska Fxlono~nic Trentf s. 14(3): 1-4.

Fed, N., md El. Stjnson. 1992. A look at today's aonornies in Prillcs William Siound. Alaskci onamhe Trends. 12(9): 1-53,

Human Reiations Area Files. 1993. Social is~dicaiors study of Alaskan coastkd villages. I'V. Postspill key infoinra~t sumii~a~ies. Sch~dillc f coit~n~unities, Part 1 . (Cordova. Tatitfek. Valdezj. Report for U.S. Mineral Managemen: Senfice. Alaska OCS Eltvironnreiltd Studies Progranr. *rechnicai KeparBt 155. 4-36 pp.

Knapp, 6. 1992. A!;iska %dimoil mukers and prices. ir!srirure of Sot:iai and E~arlornic R e s p ~ r ~ i ~ , University of Alaska Anchorage. 30 pp. a~d data apprc~dix.

Nvrtklerr: Economics, r t a!. 1994. Corninerci;?! fii,ii;i?g iiidustry of' the Ciitlf of Aias!%ai?. Fin& techni~d iit-port. Report for t i .$. B#iinera:s E~lanagrmrn~ Service. iilasita 0C:"S

V i ? Socioeconun;,~ Sruriit;~ i3:ogr&:il. I rchi~ica: Wepuri ! 3Q. 3 i 9 pp

zmtj saclal impacts of the Copper Nver Highway. Vol. 2: Swid impact$ of the Copper 1Bivez Highway. R e p a fox the A l a b Dept. of Transpom~on and Public: Facilities. 1 Val*

UGve1~ty of Couprative Extension, 1995. Cost of fwd at home for z wwk in Alash. dune. [4 pp.]

%agekie, S. 1995. Personcrl Interview, October 2 ~ . City Mmager, City of Cordova, CordaE. XK*

Robefig, d. 1995. Personal Interview, October 25. Gewral hIaaag,er, Cordova E l s b ? ~ Cqerative, Cordova, AK.

de, K. 1995. Tieiephone conversati011 October $9. Management Repmse:n@tive, NO& PdGAc Prmessors, Cordova, AK .

Simmons, H. 1995. Telephone conversation, Cl~to'oer 24. Managemeat Representative, Ocwi Beauty S a f d s , Cordova, AK.