# o A • L 1 c _*^r w 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S E

US.Departmento f Assistan t Secretar y Washington , D C 2059 0 Transportatio n Offic e o f th e Secretar

y o f Transportatio n SE P 0 9 2011

Dr . Nanc y J . Cabl e ^ ;

_^ : 3 Interi mPresident , Bate s Colleg e C D : ;45op n 2 Andrew s Road , 20 4 Lan e Hal l > ^ -^^-^^S H Lewiston,M E 04240-602 8 ^ \t^<P'^ , L i J Dea r Dr . Cable : Than k yo u for you r lette r t o Secretary LaHoo dsupportin g th e proposa l submitte db y th e Aubum-Lewisto n Municipa l Airport for agran t unde r th e Smal l Commimit y Ai r Servic e Developmen t

Progra m(Smal l Community Program) . Th e Secretar y ha s askedtha t I respon do n hi s behalf. " Th e Smal l Communit y Progra mwa s establishe dt o hel p smalle r communitie s addres s ai r servic e deficiencies , particularl y issue s relate dt o hig h airfare s an dinsufficien t service . Unde r th e statute , th e Departmen t ma y us e th e fund s t o mak e amaximu mo f 4 0 gran t award s eac h year , althoug h n o mor e tha n four ma y b e t o communitie s i n th e sam e State . I n orde r t o provid e communitie s with latitud e i n developin g solution s t o thei r ai r servic e deficiencies , th e statut e provide s significan t flexibility i n ho w th e financial assistanc e may b e used . O n Jul y 1 , th e Departmen t issue da n orde r requestin g tha t

communitie s intereste di n receivin g agran t

thi s yea r file thei r application s b y Augus t

2 . A s thes e gran t

request s ar e pendin g befor e th e Department , I amsur e yo u understan dtha t I canno t commen t

o n th e merit s o f an y particula r

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

v^l l giv e fixll consideratio n t o al l proposal s tha t hav e bee n properl y filed. A s i s ou r norma l practice , I a mplacin g acop y o f you r lette r an dthi s respons e i n Docke t DOT-OST-2011-0119 a s acontac t outsid e th e recor do f

thi s matter . I appreciat e you r interes t i n thi s program . I f

I ca n provid e fiirther

informatio n o r

assistance , pleas e feel fi-ee t o cal l me . Sincerel y yours .

Susa n L . Kurlan d Assistan t Secretary for Aviatio n an dInternationa l Affair sS I 0-110728-01 6 

# Bate s Colleg e

President' s Offit c

Jul y 21,201 1

Honorabl e Ra

y LaHood , Secretar

y U.S . Departmen

t o f Transportatio n 40 0 7t h Street S W Washington , D C 2059 0 Dea r Secretar y LaHood : I a mwritin g t o expres s ou

r full suppor

t fo r an y opportunit

y t o brin g schedule d airlin e passenger

servic e bac k

t o th e Aubum-Lewisto n Municipa l Airport . We are enthusiasti c that

th e loca l Airpor t Boar do f Director s i s pursuin g thi s potential fo r ou r area . Bate s faculty , staff

, an dstudent s frequently trave l t o andfromLewisto n an dth e res t o f th e world . Many are elite member s o f frequent traveler program s wit

h majo r U S airlines . In addition , given Bates ' national reputation , over 10,000 prospectiv e student s an dparent s andhundred s o f ou r Bate s alxunn

i trave l t o Lewisto n to visi t

th e campus . Th e vas t majorit y o f our trave l originate s out

o f Portland , Mancheste

r o r Bosto n andw e literall y driv e b y th e Aubum-Lewisto n Airpor t o n ou r wa y to catc h flight s elsewhere . Wit

h tim e an dgasolin e bot

h preciou s commodities , w e woul d welcom e th e opportunit

y to giv e amajor

portio n o f

ou r flying busines s t o a

n airlin e flying fromou r

loca l airport . Ou

r institutio n an dman

y other s like u s woul d benefit greatly andwoul dbecome loya l flyers fro mth e Aubum-Lewisto n Airport . W e look forwar dt o workin g wit

h th e airpor

t on thi s excitin g project . Sincerely , 

## ...c^ ^ 

# (UMS ^ Nanc y JTCable , Ph. : Interi mPresident

1 Andrew s Uoad , 10 4 Lan e Hal l 1 vvvtiton . Main e 04i4O-c->oi) i i 0 7 7Sft-6i0 0 lA X 10 7 7S6-643 4