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unpopulated tracts of federal lands in the eastern part of the County. Approximately 57 % of the county's population live in incorporated towns and cities that are primarily located in the western part of the County. The Upper Skagit Indian Tribe has an enrolled membership of 1,013 persons. 151 Tribal members (approximately 15 %) live on the Helmick Road Reservation, and a total of 365 Tribal members (approximately 36%) live in Skagit County. An additional 186 Tribal members (approximately19%) live in the adjacent counties of Snohomish and Whatcom counties. Thus, a total of 551 Tribal members, or over 54% of the total Tribal membership, live either on the Helmick Reservation or in the surrounding area and regularly access Tribal services and would benefit from increased employment opportunities that would result from the proposed recreation and hospitality facility. (J. Washington, USIT Administration, 2010) The 76 on-Reservation homes at the Upper Skagit Community on Helmick Road house approximately 196 people. Of these, approximately 151 are Tribal members while 24 are other Native Americans and 21 are non-members that live in an Upper Skagit household (personal communication, Jennifer Washington, Upper Skagit Administration, 2010). 3.8.2 EMPLOYMENT The Skagit County unemployment rate in 1994 was 9.9 %. In the year 2005 the unemployment rate fell to 5.8 %, which was similar to the State unemployment rate that year of 5.5 % (EDASC, November 2005). Total employment in Skagit County in November 2005 was 55,090. As of October 2009, the Skagit County unemployment rate is 9.2 % and the Washington State unemployment rate is 8.8 % (EDASC, 2010). Overall, trade, government, and services are the largest economic sectors in Skagit County in terms of employment. Employment in services, trade, and construction grew rapidly
USIT BOW HILL EA
August 20, 2010 DRAFT