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United States Department of the Interior 

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 

K,il;iiip;ipa Naiional llisuirical I'ark 

I'.o. 2:: : 

K;ilaii(iapiL Hi 9674: 

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Mr. Dennis J. DeVany 

Chief. Essential Air Sen ice Di\ ision 

U.S. Departnienl of Trnnsponation 

Office of Aviation Analysis 

Re: Essential Air Service Opening for Kalaupapa, Island of Molokai. Hawaii 

Dear Mr. DeVanv. 

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The National Park Service (\PS) has managed Kalaiipapa National Historical Park on the Island 

of Molokai since the park was established in lOgO. The NFS currently employs 45 fuil time 

employees who take care of over 200 historic buildings, natural resource protection, cultural 

resource protection, law enlbrcemenl. and administration of the historical park. Air service is ihe 

only means of access lo ihe remote Kalaupapa peninsula for most of our staff. A lew employees 

arc able 10 hike aji e.\iremely strenuous 3.5 mile trail that ascends a l.700-f()oi cliff. Air service is 

critical to the recruitment and retention of quality NPS employees at Kalaupapa National 

Historical Park 

Atioiher serious problem associated with high cost air fares ai Kalaupapa is the inability of most 

Hawaiians and average Americans across the United States to afford excessive air fare to this 

\er\' special national park site. I receive numerous complaints each week from disgruntled 

citizens wishing to visit Kalaupapa that cannot atford the cost of transportation. The number of 

NPS \ isilors that Oy on Paci/lc Wings to •CLCces)< the park and take the tour is ah7io.st ;^ero the p<isi 

2 years. National park sites have been called "America's Best Idea" but unfortunately the beauty 

and special character of Kalaupapa National Historical Park has no affordable commercial carrier 

to transport potential \ isitors. The local Molokai economy would surely benefit from increased 

tourism if there was an affordable commercial carrier providing service at Kalaupapa. 

The high conmiercial air fare to Kalaupapa has also directly and indirectly separated Hansen's 

disease patients at Kalaupapa from their friends and famiU members who cannot afford such 

e.xorbttant prices. The same i.solalion from friends and famihes has also severely impacted NPS 

employees that have to endure many months of isolation at Kalaupapa until they or their family 

and friends can save enough monev to alTord the current air fare. Numerous highly qualified job 
applicants have declined emplo\meni due to high air fares. Recently, several outstanding NPS 

employees have left their employment at Kalaupapa for the same reason. 

We Jstrongly encourage you to select a commercial air carrier thai will provide affordable air fare 

and regular service between Topside Molokai. i lonolutu. i\nd Maui much (ike the schedule that 

the cuirent commercial air carrier provides i.e. two round-trip tlights per day from Honolulu to 

Kalaupapa and one round trip ilighi per day from .Maui to Kalaupapa. Howe\er. unlike the 

current commercial carrier scheduli;. the new carrier should provide for morning departures and 

late afternoon arrivals. 

Thank you for your consideration and opportunity to comment on the EAS REP for Kalaupapa. 

Sincerelv. 

Stephen Prokop 

Superintendent, Kalaupapa National Historical Park 

cc: 

Brian Swanson 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Brian.swanson('f"/"'dt*t.gov 

Michael Maruyama 

Hansen's Disease Branch 

Michael.maruvamaroJdoh.hawaii.'zov 

Alana "I'amamoto 

OfHce of Senator Daniel Inouye 

Alana Vamamoto^f/Jinouve.senate.uov 

Melia Lane-Kamahele 

NPS Honolulu Support office 

Melia Lane-Kamahele^nps.uov