o A • L 1 c _*^rw 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

US.Departmentof Assistant Secretary Washington, DC 20590 

Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation SEP 0 9 2011 

Dr. Nancy J. Cable ^ ;_ ^ : 3 

Interim President, Bates College CD : ;45opn 

2 Andrews Road, 204 Lane Hall >^ -^^-^^SH 

Lewiston,ME 04240-6028 ^\ t^<P'^, 

L i J 

Dear Dr. Cable: 

Thank you for your letter to Secretary LaHood supporting the proposal submitted by the 

Aubum-Lewiston Municipal Airport for a grant under the Small Commimity Air Service 

Development Program (Small Community Program). The Secretary has asked that I 

respond on his behalf. " 

The Small Community Program was established to help smaller communities address air 

service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares and insufficient service. 

Under the statute, the Department may use the funds to make a maximum of 40 grant 

awards each year, although no more than four may be to communities in the same State. 

In order to provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service 

deficiencies, the statute provides significant flexibility in how the financial assistance 

may be used. 

On July 1, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in 

receiving a grant this year file their applications by August 2. As these grant requests are 

pending before the Department, I am sure you understand that I cannot comment on the 

merits of any particular proposal. I assure you, however, that the Department v^ll give 

fixll consideration to all proposals that have been properly filed. 

As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2011-0119 as a contact outside the record of this matter. I appreciate your 

interest in this program. If I can provide fiirther information or assistance, please feel 

fi-ee to call me. 

Sincerely yours. 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
SI 0-110728-016 

Bates College 

President's Offitc 

July 21,2011 

Honorable Ray LaHood, Secretary 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 7th Street SW 

Washington, DC 20590 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

I am writing to express our full support for any opportunity to bring scheduled 

airline passenger service back to the Aubum-Lewiston Municipal Airport. We are 

enthusiastic that the local Airport Board of Directors is pursuing this potential for 

our area. 

Bates faculty, staff, and students frequently travel to and from Lewiston and the 

rest of the world. Many are elite members of frequent traveler programs with 

major US airlines. In addition, given Bates' national reputation, over 10,000 

prospective students and parents and hundreds of our Bates alxunni travel to 

Lewiston to visit the campus. 

The vast majority of our travel originates out of Portland, Manchester or Boston 

and we literally drive by the Aubum-Lewiston Airport on our way to catch flights 

elsewhere. With time and gasoline both precious commodities, we would 

welcome the opportunity to give a major portion of our flying business to an 

airline flying from our local airport. Our institution and many others like us would 

benefit greatly and would become loyal flyers from the Aubum-Lewiston Airport. 

We look forward to working with the airport on this exciting project. 

Sincerely, 

...c^ ^ (UMS^ 

Nancy JTCable, Ph.: 

Interim President 

1 Andrews Uoad, 104 Lane Hall 

1 vvvtiton. Maine 04i4O-c->oi)i 

i 0 7 7Sft-6i00 lAX 107 7S6-6434