BILLINGS - Big Horn County is the fourth poorest county in the nation according to the most recent U.S. Census, but there's hope for new economic development in that county.
Carl Venne, the chairman of the Crow Tribe, said nearly half the people in his tribe are unemployed. While he wants people to work, the tribe is also working to make some cash on its own. Recently, the Crow Nation found a modern adaptation to that ancient tradition.
"We figure that we have a 36 square miles of gas potential," said Joanie Horn, the Minerals Director for Crow Nation. Crow Nation found natural gas in 5 wells throughout their land. They're working on their 6th well, and hope to be done with it by Friday, December 18th.
The company they're contracted with guarantees the Crow tribe 20% of the proceeds. That's way above the national average of 12.5 %. Venne says it's about time the Crow Nation caught a break.
"We're the poorest of the poorest in this country," he said. "We've been depressed so long, I think, it's our time to make good. Hopefully somebody upstairs is going to look down upon us and say here's what we've got. That would be so beautiful."
Venne said the money raised from the wells could go a long way. "What we'd do is probably secure the future of our kids, their kids and their grand kids," he said.
Horn said natural gas is just the beginning of the natural resources they could find on the reservation. "It's just the first step," she said. "We've been looking at developing coal mines, a power plant. There's quite a few projects we're working on."
Venne said they're also looking to grind limestone down and market it as concrete. He said using natural resources on the reservation could get the Crow Nation, and Big Horn County, out of its economic slump.