^ Xl-l()l()26-()() l

U5.D«pcirtmen t o f Assistan t Secretar y 120 0 No w Jerse y Avenue , S

E DrontportOHo n WasKlngton , D C 2059 0 Offic e O f th e SectBtar y * o f Transportatio n Novembe r 9 , 201 0

Th e Honorabl e Car

l Levi n ^ ? H 5- ' Unite d State s Senate > >;§— • Washington , D C 2051 0 Q O^ ^ e n CJ O Dea r Senato r Levin : ^ Than k yo u for your lette r o f October 11 , co-signe d b y you

r congressional colleagues , expressin g concer

n abou t th e Essentia l Air

Servic e (EAS ) carrier-selectio n proces s a t Ironwoo d and Manistee/Ludingto n i n Michigan' s Upper Peninsula . A s yo u know , b y Order

2010-9-26 , September

2 7 th e U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n ' " deteiTOine d tha t th e tw o applicant s tha

t submitte d bid s di d no t

hav e th e requisit e operatin g authorit

y necessai 7 t

o provid e EAS . A s aresult , th e Departmen t requeste d anothe r roun d of proposal s fromai r

carrier s intereste d i n providin g EA S a t th e tw o communitie s fo

r athird-time , du e n o later

tha n October 18 . A t th e reques t

o f on e applican t and wit h suppor t fro mth e communities , th e du e date for proposal s wa s extende d unti l October

25 . I n respons e t o th e mos t

recen t reques t fo r proposals , w e hav e receive d atotal o f fiv e proposals , briefly outline d below :

• CAT t o serv e Milwaukee , Wisconsin , wit h 30-seat , pressurize d turbopro p aircraft ; • Gulfstrea

mInternational Airline s to serv e Milwauke e utilizin g 19-seat , pressurize d turbopro p aircraft ; • Ai r Choic e One , tw o options , t o serv e Chicag o O'Har e International Airpor t utilizin g 9-sea

t turbopro p aircraft ; • Seapor

t Airlines , tw o option s dependin g o n th e hu b serve d (Minneapoli s an d Milwauke e o r

Minneapoli s an

d Detroit ) utilizin g 9-seat , pressurize d turbopro p aircraft ; and • Chautauqu aAirlines , d/b/ aFrontie r Airlines , t o serv e Milwauke e utilizin g 37-sea t je t aircraft . A s th e carrier-selectio n proceedin g i s competitiv e an d i s currenti y unde r

revie w b y th e Department , I a

msur e you understan d tha t I carmot comment o n th e merit s of

th e proposals . I assure you , however , that th e Departmen t

wil l fiilly consider

al l o f th e proposals , an d malc

e it s award base d o n th e selectio n criteri adetaile d i n th e governin g statutes .Xl-l()l()26-()() l

Th e Honorabl e Cai l Levi n Pag e 2 A s i s ou r norma l practice , I a

mplachi g acop y o

f your lette r an d m y respons e i n Docket s DOT-OST-1996-126 6 an d 1996-171 1 a s acontac t outsid e th e record o f

thi s proceeding . I share your

interes t mfindin g areplacemen t

carrier in atimel y manner ; however , res t assure d tha

t ou r overal l goa

l i s to find th e bes t

fi t fo r th e communities . I

f I ca n provid e furthe r informatio n o r

assistance , pleas e fee

l free t o cal l me .

!;hrist aFomarott Deput y Assistan t

Secretar y for Aviatio n an

d International Affair sXl-l()l()26-()() l 

# e ULS.Depcirtmen t o f Assistan t Secretar y 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S

E 'nronsportCltlo n Wasliington , D C 2059 0 Offic e O f th e Secretary ^ o f Transportatio n NO V 0 9 201 0

Th e Honorabl e Bar

t Stupa k U.S . Hous e o

f Representative s Washington , D C 2051 5 Dea r Congressma

n Stupak : Than k yo u for your lette r o f October 11 , co-signe d b y you

r congressional colleagues , expressin g concer

n abou t th e Essential Air

Servic e (EAS ) carrier-selectio n proces s a t Ironwoo d an d Manistee/Ludingto n i n Michigan' s Uppe r Peninsula . A s yo u know , b y Order

2010-9-26 , September

2 7 th e U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n determine d tha

t th e tw o applicant s tha

t submitte d bid s di d no t

hav e th e requisit e operatin g authorit

y necessar y t o provid e EAS . A s aresult , th e Departmen t requeste d anothe r roun d o f proposal s fromair

carrier s intereste d i n providin g EA S a t th e tw o communitie s for

athud-time , du e n o late r

tha n Octobe r 18 . A t th e reques t

of on e applicant an d wit h suppor t fromth e communities , th e du e date fo r proposal s wa s extende d unti l October

25 . In respons e to th e mos t

recen t reques t for proposals , w e hav e receive d atota l of five proposals , briefly outiine d below :

• CAT t o serv e Milwaukee , Wisconsin , wit h 30-seat , pressurize d turbopro p aircraft ; • Gulfstrea

mInternational Airline s t o serv e Milwauke e utilizin g 19-seat , pressurize d turbopro p aircraft ; • Air Choic e One , tw o options , t o serv e Chicag o O'Har e International Airpoi t utilizin g 9-sea

t turbopro p aircraft ; • Seapor

t Airlines , tw o option s dependin g o n th e hu b serve d (Minneapoli s and Milwauke e o r

Minneapoli s an d Detroit ) utilizin g 9-seat , pressurize d turbopro p aircraft ; and • Chautauqu aAirlines , d/b/aFrontie r Airlines , t o serv e Milwauke e utilizin g 37-sea t je t aircraft . A s th e carrier-selectio n proceedin g i s competitiv e an d i s currentl y under revie w b y th e Department , I a

msur e you understan d tha t I canno t comment o n th e merit s of

th e proposals . I assur e you , however , tha t th e Department

wil l fiilly consider

al l of th e proposals , and make it s awar d base d o n th e selectio n criteri adetaile d i n th e governin g statutes .26-00 1

Th e Honorabl e Bar

t Stupa k Pag e 2 A s i s ou r nonna l practice , I a

mplacin g acop y of

yom * lette r an d my respons e i n Docket s DOT-OST-1996-126 6 an d 1996-171 1 a s acontac t outsid e th e record o f

thi s proceeding . I shar e you r interes t i n findin g areplacemen t

carrier i n atimel y manner ; however , res t assure d tha

t our overal l goal i s t o fin

d th e bes t fit fo r th e communities . I

f I ca n provid e furthe r informatio n o r

assistance , pleas e fee

l fre e t o cal l me .

^hrist aFomarott o Deput y Assistan t

Secretar y for Aviatio n an d International Affair sX1-101026-00 1 

# O US.OepartnMn t o f Assistan t Secretar y 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S

E ItansportOtlo n V^'ashington , D C 2059 0 Offic e O f th e Secretar y ' ofTtonsportotio n 

### NO V 0 9 

### 201 0

Th e Honorabl e Debbi e Stabeno w Unite d State s Senat e Washington , D C 2051 0 Dea r Senato r Stabenow ; Than k yo u fo r your lette r o f October 11 , co-signe d b y your

congressional colleagues , expressin g concer

n abou t th e Essentia

l Ai r Servic e (EAS ) canier-selectio n proces s a t Ironwoo d an

d Manistee/Ludingto n i n Michigan' s Upper Penmsula . A s you know , b y Order

2010-9-26 , September

2 7 th e U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n determine d tha

t th e tw o applicant s tha

t submitte d bid s di d no t

hav e th e requisit e operatin g authorit

y necessar y to provid e EAS . A s aresult , th e Departmen t requeste d anothe r roun d o f proposal s fto mair

carrier s mtereste d i n providin g EA S a t th e tw o communitie s fo

r athird-time , du e n o late r

tha n October 18 . A t th e reques t

of on e applicant an d wit h suppor t fromth e conmiunities , th e du e dat e for proposal s wa s extende d unti l October

25 . In respons e to th e mos t

recen t reques t fo r proposals , w e hav e receive d atotal of fiv e proposals , briefl y outiine d below :

• CA T t o serv e Milwaukee , Wisconsin , wit h 30-seat , pressurize d turbopro p aircraft ; • Gulfstrea

mInternational Airline s t o serv e Milwauke e utilizin g 19-seat , pressurize d turbopro p aircraft ; • Air Choic e One , tw o options , t o serv e Chicag o O'Har e International Airpor t utilizin g 9-sea

t turbopro p aircraft ; • Seapor

t Airlines , tw o option s dependin g o n th e hu b serve d (Minneapoli s an d Milwauke e o r

Minneapoli s an d Detroit ) utilizin g 9-seat , pressurize d turbopro p aircraft ; and • Chautauqu aAirlines , d/b/aFrontie r Airlines , t o serv e Milwauke e utilizin g 37-sea t je t aircraft . A s th e carrier-selectio n proceedin g i s competitiv e an d i s currenti y under revie w b y th e Department , I a

msur e you understan d tha t I canno t commen t o n th e merit s of

th e proposals . I assur e you , however , tha t th e Departmen t

wil l fully consider

al l of th e proposals , an d mak

e it s awar d base d o n th e selectio n criteri adetaile d in th e governin g statutes .Xl-l()l()26-()() l

Th e Honorabl e Debbi e Stabeno w Pag e 2 A s i s ou r norma l practice , I a

mplacin g acop y o

f your lette r an d my respons e i n Docket s DOT-OST-1996-126 6 and 1996-171 1 a s acontac t outsid e th e record o f

thi s proceeding . I shar e your interes t i n findin g areplacemen t

carrie r i n atimel y manner ; however , res t assure d tha

t our overal l goal i s t

o find th e bes t

fit fo r th e communities . I

f I ca n provid e furthe r informatio n or

assistance , pleas e fee

l fre e t o cal l me . 'erely yours , /
irist aFomarott o Deput y Assistan t

Secretar y fo r Aviatio n an

d International Affair sX1-101026-00 1 

# Congres^£ ( o t

tt) e ^nttel i States ; ?SHai^ington , JBd

D 2051 5

Octobe r 11 , 201 0 Christ aFomarott o Deput y Assistan t

Secretar y fo r Aviatio n & International Affair s U.S . Department

of Transportatio n 1200 New Jerse y Avenu e S E S" " Floo r Washington , D C 2059 0 Dea r Secretar y Fomarotto : The Ironwood , MI/Ashland , WI an d the Manistee/Ludingto n Airport s (Docke t #DOT

OST-1996-126 6 and #D0T-0ST-1196-171 1 respectively ) hav e bee n advise d tha t th e Essentia l Air Servic e Divisio n o

f th e Department

of Transportatio n ha s denie d th e offe r o f Charte r Ai r Transpor t (CAT ) Publi c Charte

r to provid e subsidize d service . Subsequentiy , EA S i s solicitin g bid s fo r the thir d consecutiv e time , seekin g acarrier t o servic e thes e rural communities . Delay s i n th e decisio n makin g proces s an d th e time i

t take s t o solici t mor e carrier s wil l furthe r alac k o f confidenc e i n thes e regiona l airports . Th e confusio n and uncertaint y in ai r provider servic e an d schedulin g i s causin g passenger s t o loo k fo r alternative s wit

h the consequenc e of

lowe r boardin g number s a

t bot h sites . W e believ e thes e circumstance s provid e th e opportunit y fo r al l partie s to consider

othe r options . W

e understan d tha

t th e EA S guideline s provid e DO T th e authorit y t o grant waiver s or exception s t

o airline s t

o provid e service . W

e ar e askin g tha

t DOT , i n consultatio n wit

h th e tw o airport s revie w possibl e alternativ e option s tha t migh t b e grante d to provid e servic e to thes e communities . W p annreciate you

r promp t attentio n t

o thi s matter

in thi s challengin g ai r

servic e market . Sincerely . ,

Car l Levi n Debbi e Stabeno w Bar t Stupa k Unite d State s Senato r

Unite d State s Senato r Membe

r o f Congres s

PHINTC O O N RECVCLE D PAPE R