Final Environmental Impact Statement
Final Environmental Impact Statement
Final Environmental Impact Statement
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Vestal <strong>Final</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Impact</strong> <strong>Statement</strong> Chapter 3<br />
170<br />
Asian 0.4 % 0.9 %<br />
African American 0.2 % 1.3 %<br />
Pacific Islander 0 % 0 %<br />
Custer County differs slightly from the State of South Dakota with the biggest difference<br />
being that Custer County has a higher proportion of Caucasian residents compared to the<br />
rest of the state.<br />
Economic Well-Being<br />
Personal income, unemployment rate and poverty level are useful measures of economic<br />
well-being, or how well individuals and families are able to meet their basic needs for<br />
housing and subsistence as well as higher-level needs such as long-term financial stability<br />
and the ability to procure and enjoy luxury items. Economics ties to forest resources are<br />
integral to the economic well-being of many residents in the Black Hills. Some are<br />
engaged in the performance of vegetation management activities, such as timber harvest<br />
or grazing as a source of income. Others benefit economically from the recreation<br />
activities that occur on the forest as visitors to the area purchase gas, groceries, or<br />
recreational equipment from local retailers. Forest management proposals have the<br />
potential to impact economic prospects for these groups in varying ways. Table 56<br />
displays per capita income, unemployment rate, and poverty level for Custer County and<br />
South Dakota.<br />
Table 56. Economic Well-Being Based on 2006-2010 Census<br />
Measure Custer County South Dakota<br />
Per Capita Income<br />
(in 2010 dollars)<br />
$24, 353 $24,110<br />
Median Household Income $46,743 $46,369<br />
Unemployment 2.4 % 6.0 %<br />
Persons Below Poverty<br />
Level<br />
9.7 % 13.7 %<br />
Per capita income and median household income mirrors the state of South Dakota as a<br />
whole. Individuals below the poverty level are lower in Custer County compared to the<br />
state. Median home ownership values are greater in Custer County compared to the state.<br />
The unemployment rate is lower in Custer County than South Dakota as a state.<br />
Timber harvest has contributed greatly to the area’s economy. Early settlers used timber<br />
harvested from the Black Hills to construct buildings, railroads, and mining facilities. The<br />
very first timber sale on a national forest took place in 1898 near Nemo, South Dakota,<br />
which is now part of the Northern Hills Ranger District. Today, the Black Hills National<br />
Forest is one of the top timber‐producing forests in the National Forest System. This<br />
timber supply is a significant component of the support of local and regional<br />
communities, as well as contributing to the area’s supply of goods and services. Overall,<br />
the Black Hills National Forest’s practices have had a positive influence on the economy<br />
of the Black Hills area.<br />
Three communities in the Black Hills region, Spearfish and Hill City, South Dakota and<br />
Hulett, Wyoming, are home to large lumber mills, all operated by a single owner, that