# DOT

- osT ' ZQo O - (eT-1- 5 Unite dState s Departmen t o f th e Interio r NATIONA

L PAR K SERVICE K,il;iiip;ip aNaiiona l llisuirica l I'ar k

I'.o . 2:: : K;ilaii(iapi L H

i 9674 : TL-I : .S0.SO67-6S(I :

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Mr . Denni s J . DeVan y Chief. Essentia l Ai r

Se n ic e Di \isio n U.S . Departnien l o f

Trnnsponatio n Offic e o f Aviatio n Analysi s Re : Essentia l Ai r

Servic e Openin g fo

r Kalaupapa , Islan do f

Molokai . Hawai i Dear Mr . DeVanv . .i >

. - O o 5

Th e Nationa l Par

k Servic e (\PS ) ha s manage dKalaiipap aNationa l Historica l Par k o n th e Islan d o f Moloka i sinc e th e par

k wa s establishe di

n lOgO . Th e NF S currentl y employ s 4 5 fui l tim e employee s wh o take car e o f ove r 20 0 histori c buildings , natura l resourc e protection , cultura l resourc e protection , la w enlbrcemenl . an dadministratio n o f th e historica l park . Ai r

servic e i s ih e onl y mean s o f

acces s l o ih e remot e Kalaupap apeninsul afo r mos t of ou r staff . A le w employee s ar c abl e 1 0 hik e aj i e.\iremel y strenuou s 3. 5 mil e trai l tha t ascend s al.700-f()o i cliff . Ai r servic e i s critica l t o th e recruitmen t an dretentio n o f

qualit y NP S employee s a t Kalaupap aNationa l Historica l Par

k Atioihe r seriou s proble massociate dwith hig h cos t ai r fare s a i Kalaupap ai s th e inabilit y o f mos t Hawaiian s an daverag e American s acros s th e Unite dState s t o affor dexcessiv e ai r

far e t o thi s \er\ ' specia l nationa l par k site . I receiv e numerou s complaint s eac h week fro mdisgruntle d citizen s wishin g t o visi t

Kalaupap atha t

canno t atfor dth e cos t

o f transportation . Th e numbe r o f NP S \isilor s that

O y o n Paci/l c Wing s t o •CLCces)< th e par k an dtak e th e tou r

i s ah7io.st

;^er o th e p<is i 2 years . Nationa l par

k site s hav e bee n calle d"America' s Bes t Idea " bu t

unfortunatel y th e beauty an dspecia l characte r

o f Kalaupap aNationa l Historica l Par k ha s n o affordabl e commercia l carrie r t o transpor t

potentia l \isitors . Th e local Moloka i econom y woul dsurel y benefi t fro mincrease d touris mi f ther e wa s a

n affordabl e commercia l carrie r providin g servic e a

t Kalaupapa . Th e hig h conmiercia l ai r far e t o Kalaupap aha s als o directl y an dindirectl y separate dHansen' s diseas e patient s a

t Kalaupap afromthei r

friend s an dfamiU member s wh o canno t affordsuc h e.xorbttan t

prices . Th e sam e i.solalio n fro mfriend s an dfamihe s ha s als o severel y impacte dNP S employee s tha

t hav e t o endur e man y month s o f isolatio n a

t Kalaupap aunti l the y o r thei r famil y an dfriend s ca n sav e enoug h mone v t o alTor dth e curren t

ai r fare . Numerou s highl y qualifie djo bapplicant s hav e decline demplo\men i du e t o hig h ai r fares . Recently , severa l outstandin g NP S employee s hav e lef

t thei r employmen t

a t Kalaupap afo

r th e sam e reason . W e Jstrongl

y encourag e yo u t

o selec t acommercia l ai r

carrie r tha i wil l provid e affordabl e ai r far e an dregula r

servic e betwee n Topsid e Molokai . i lonolutu . i\ndMau i muc h (ik e th e schedul e tha

t th e cuiren t

commercia l ai r

carrie r provide s i.e . tw o round-tri p tlight s pe r day fro mHonolul u t o Kalaupap aan don e roun dtri p iligh i pe r day from.Mau

i t o Kalaupapa . Howe\er . unlik e th e curren t commercia l carrie r

scheduli; . th e ne w carrie r shoul dprovid e fo

r mornin g departure s an d late afternoo n arrivals . Than k yo u fo r you r consideratio n an dopportunit y t o commen t o n th e EA S REP fo

r Kalaupapa . Sincerelv . Stephe n Proko p Superintendent , Kalaupap aNationa l Historica l Par k cc : Bria n Swanso n U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n Brian.swanson('f"/"'dt*t.gov Michae l Maruyam a Hansen' s Diseas e Branc h Michael.maruvamaroJdoh.hawaii.'zo v Alan a"I'amamot o OfHc e o f Senato r Danie l Inouy e Alan aVamamoto^f/Jinouve.senate.uo v Meli aLane-Kamahel e NP S Honolul u Support

offic e Meli aLane-Kamahele^nps.uo v