He said sales are down nearly 20 percent since the mines shut down. The Murray Energy Co.-owned mines were his biggest customers, he added. Depending on what happens with the mine, he said, his company may have to court clients in other areas of the state to recoup the lost revenue.

In nearby Price, few families were directly affected by the Crandall Canyon accident or the mine closures, and most of those who were impacted have been able to find other jobs, either in mining or other industries, said Jerry Carlson, owner of Price Mine Service.

Carlson's company contracts miners, in addition to providing a variety of other services, including offering rental accommodations to contracted workers. Because most of the area mines were operating below capacity, he said, the majority of people displaced have been able to find positions with other local mining companies or in other states.

"There was such a shortage of people before all this stuff happened that they filled the gaps, so now all the (open) positions are just about full," he said.

However, Carlson acknowledged that many of the unfilled jobs are lower level, so some workers have had to take pay cuts at least for the time being, and a few are choosing to wait to see if Murray Energy reopens the Tower Mine.

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E-mail: jlee@desnews.com