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POPULATION GROWTHOver the past 4 decades, San Bernardino County has experienced steady growth in population, employment, and personal income. Between 1970–2013, the county saw a 206% population increase, the 2nd highest among the 7 desert counties: Imperial County, Inyo County, Kern County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and San Diego County.
EMPLOYMENTDespite the county’s growth, mining’s contributions to the local economy have been modest, with jobs in mining playing a small role in total private employment. In 2013, San Bernardino County had 0.2% of employment in mining (around 1,400 employees). For small communities, such as Lucerne Valley, mining operations that employ 25, 50, or 100 persons are considered major employers.
Most of the county’s growth is driven by businesses and demographic changes that benefit directly from preserving the desert. Between 1970–2013, most of the county’s employment growth was in the Services, Retail, Government, Manufacturing, Farm, and Health Care/Social Assistance Sectors.
Research by the Sonoran Institute finds that the California Desert Conservation and Recreation Act
(CDCRA) of 2015 will have minimal impact on mining operations in San Bernardino County. The
legislation will also enhance the natural and cultural attractions that have been significant drivers
of the regional economy for the past 4 decades.
The Sonoran Institute
IMPACTS ON MINING AND
THE LOCAL ECONOMY IN
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
The California Desert Conservation and
Recreation Act of 2015
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Government Manufacturing Construction Agricultural services
Services Finance, ins. & real estate Wholesale trade Mining, Oil & Gas
Retail trade Trans. & public utilities Farm
THE CALIFORNIA DESERT CONSERVATION AND RECREATION ACT OF 2015
Figure 1. San Bernardino County Employment Trends, 1970–2000.
Source: US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts.
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Impacts on Mining and the Local Economy in San Bernardino County
Figure 2. San Bernardino County Employment Trends, 2001–2013.
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Accommodation, Food Services
Other Services (excl. public admin.)
Transportation, Warehousing
Wholesale Trade
Professional, Scientific, Tech.
Finance, Insurance
Management of Companies
Manufact. (incl. forest products)
Retail Trade
Real estate, Rental, Leasing
Information
Farm
Health Care, Social Assistance
Government Utilities
Agric. Services, Forestry, Fishing
Mining, Oil & Gas
Admin., Waste Services
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation
Construction
Educational Services
Source: US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts.
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Non-labor Income Manufacturing Farming
Services and Professional Transportation & Utilities Ag Services, Forestry & Fishing
Government Construction Mining, Oil & Gas
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10,000,000
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THE CALIFORNIA DESERT CONSERVATION AND RECREATION ACT OF 2015
PERSONAL INCOME
In 2013, mining’s contribution (including oil and gas) to overall labor-related income was small, approximately 0.20%. Between 1970-2013, contributions from mining operations to labor-related income fluctuated between 0.2% and 0.5%, with no defined trend. In contrast, the county’s labor-related earnings between 1970 and 2013 increased by 559%. The county’s non-labor income increased by 370% in that time period.
Figure 3. San Bernardino County Personal Income by Source, 1969–2013.
Source: US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts.
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Impacts on Mining and the Local Economy in San Bernardino County 5
Government Retail trade Wholesale trade Agricultural services
Manufacturing Trans. & public utilities Finance, ins. & real estate Mining, Oil & Gas
Services Construction Farm
0
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2,000
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Mill
ions
of
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$s
Source: US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts.
Figure 4. San Bernardino County Personal Income Labor Earnings, 1970–2000.
THE CALIFORNIA DESERT CONSERVATION AND RECREATION ACT OF 20156
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Mill
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Manufact. (incl. forest products)
Wholesale Trade
Finance, Insurance
Educational Services
Health Care, Social Assistance
Other Services (excl. public admin.)
Accommodation, Food Services
Farm
Retail Trade
Admin., Waste services
Management of Companies
Government Arts, Entertainment, Recreation
Construction
Real estate, Rental, Leasing
Information
Mining, Oil & Gas
Transportation, Warehousing
Professional, Scientific, Tech.
Utilities
Agric. Services, Forestry, Fishing
Figure 5. San Bernardino County Personal Income Labor Earnings, 2001–2013.
Source: US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts.
Impacts on Mining and the Local Economy in San Bernardino County
OVERALL ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION
These trends reflect the increasing importance of regional amenities, notably natural and cultural attractions. This has profound implications for the economic role of protected public lands as an important economic asset. Tourism and recreation remains one of the bright spots of San Bernardino County’s economy: total direct travel spending in the county in 2013 reached $4.4 billion, as reported by Dean Runyan Associates to the California Travel & Tourism Commission.
By comparison, when direct, indirect, and induced impacts on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are considered, mining’s contribution to nominal GDP in 2014 is estimated at $1.2 billion, 1.5% of nominal GDP (nominal GDP is a Gross Domestic Product figure that has not been adjusted for inflation). In the desert portion of the county, mining’s contribution may reach as high as 5%. These estimates likely represent upper limits, as the multipliers used were developed for use at the state level and likely overestimate impacts.
CONSERVATION DESIGNATIONS
Through its extensive conservation designations, the California Desert Conservation and Recreation Act (CDCRA) of 2015 seeks to preserve San Bernardino County’s natural and cultural attractions, which have fueled much of the region’s growth and prosperity.
Proposed Designation in San Bernardino County Designation Type
Avawatz Mountains WLD Wilderness
Black Lave Butte Flat Top Mesa ACEC
Death Valley 17 WSA Transfer to NPS
Death Valley WLD Wilderness Addition to NPS
Dumont Dunes National OHV Recreation Area
El Mirage NOHV National OHV Recreation Area
Golden Valley WLD Wilderness Addition
Grass Valley WLD Wilderness Addition
Johnson Valley NOHV National OHV Recreation Area
Joshua Tree Transfer to NPS
Kingston Range WLD Wilderness Addition
Mojave National Preserve (inc. Castle Mountains) Transfer to NPS
Mojave Trails National Monument National Monument
Rasor NOHV National OHV Recreation Area
Sand to Snow National Monument National Monument
Soda Mountains WLD Wilderness
Spangler Hills NOHV National OHV Recreation Area
Stoddard Valley NOHV National OHV Recreation Area
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THE CALIFORNIA DESERT CONSERVATION AND RECREATION ACT OF 2015
CURRENT MINING IMPACTS
As currently drafted, the legislation recognizes and protects existing mining claims and minimizes impacts on current mining operations. The county’s major mining operations include Mountain Pass Rare Earth Mine and Mill (scheduled for closure in October 2015); the cement plants Cushenbury Plant, Oro Grande Quarry, Black Mountain Quarry and Victorville Cement Plant; and limestone from Lucerne Valley Plant and Quarry, and Omya California. The boundaries of the conservation designations have been drawn so as not to impact these and other operations.
Figure 6. Current Mining Activities Inside the Proposed Designations, San Bernardino County.
Sources: Bureau of Land Management Land & Mineral Legacy Rehost 2000 System (LR2000 System), http://www.blm.gov/lr2000/; US Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration, http://www.msha.gov/OpenGovernmentData/OGIMSHA.asp; DRECP EIS analysis, Appendix R1.15, http://www.drecp.org/draftdrecp.
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Impacts on Mining and the Local Economy in San Bernardino County
FUTURE MINING IMPACTS
Potential impacts of the legislation on future mining activities in San Bernardino County are few, due to signifi-cant mineral development opportunities outside of the proposed conservation designations. These areas include: 3,001 instances of mineral occurrences; 8,803 active mining claims; and 392,773 acres of high mineral potential.
Figure 7. Active Mining Claims, Mineral Occurrences and High Potential Minerals, San Bernardino County.
Sources: Bureau of Land Management, Land & Mineral Legacy Rehost 2000 System, http://www.blm.gov/lr2000/; USGS Mineral Resources Data System dataset, http://mrdate.usgs.gov/mrds/; DRECP EIS analysis, Appendix R1.15, http://www.drecp.org/draftdrecp.
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CONCLUSION
The California Desert Conservation and Recreation Act is compatible with ongoing mining activities and allows for future development of critical and competitive mineral resources. Moreover, the protective designations proposed under the legislation likely represent the highest and best economic use of those public lands.
ABOUT THE SONORAN INSTITUTE
Founded in 1990, the Sonoran Institute’s mission is to connect people and communities with the natural resources that nourish and sustain them. We work at the nexus of commerce, community, and conservation to help people in the North American West build the communities they want to live in while preserving the values that brought them here. We envision a West where civil dialogue and collaboration are hallmarks of decision making, where people and wildlife live in harmony, and where clean water, air, and energy are assured.
This fact sheet is part of a study the Sonoran Institute prepared, The California Desert Conservation and Recreation Act of 2015: Impacts on Mining and the Regional Economy, which can be found at www.sonoraninstitute.org.
THE CALIFORNIA DESERT CONSERVATION AND RECREATION ACT OF 201510
Impacts on Mining and the Local Economy in San Bernardino County 11
Shaping the future of the West
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