U.S. Department of Transportation Office ofthe Secretary OfTransportation

The Honorable Claire McCaskill United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear SenatorMcCaskill: '·

. '; ,.·,_ _: ·.t 1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E. Washington, DC 20590

Thank you for your letter supportingthe application submittedbythe Springfield-Branson National Airport for a grant underthe U.S. Department ofTransportation's Small Community Air Service Development Program. The Small CommunityAir Service DevelopmentProgram was established to help smaller communities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares or insufficient service. Underthe statute, the Department may make a maximum of40 grant awards each year, although no more than four awards maybe to communities inthe same State. In orderto provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service deficiencies, the statuteprovides flexibility in the types ofprojects that can be funded. On June 24, the Department issued an order setting a deadline ofJuly 26 for applications. As these grant requests are pendingbefore the Department, I cannot comment onthe merits ofany particularproposal. I assure youthat the Department will give full and fair consideration to all proposals that have beenproperly filed. As is our standardpractice, I amplacing a copy ofyour letter and this response inDocket DOT-OST-2013-0120 as a contact outside the record ofthismatter. I appreciate your interest in this program.

apman Associate Director Small CommunityAir Service DevelopmentCLAIRE McCASKILL MISSOURI COMMITTEES: ARMED SERVICES COMMERCE, SCIENCE AND TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AGING HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

AD HOC SUBCOMMITTEE ON CONTRACTING OVERSIGHT
Ms. Brooke Chapman Associate Director 

# tlnitcd**~tatcs ~cnatc**  WASHINGTON, DC 20510
July 11, 2013

US Department ofTransportation, Office ofAviation Analysis 1200 NewJersey Ave NE Washington, DC 20590-0001 Dear Ms. Chapman, IN REPLY PLEASE REFER TO OFFICE INDICATED: 555 INDEPENDENCE ROOM 1600 0 GAPE GIRARDEAU, MO 63703 (573) 651-0964 FAX: (573) 334--4278 915 EAST ASH STREET COLUMBIA, MO 65201

(573) 442-7130 FAX: (573) 442-7140 4141 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE SUITE 101 0 KANSAS CITY, MO 64111 (816) 421-1639 FAx: (816) 421-2562
0 5850 DELMAR BOULEVARD SUITE A ST. LOUIS, MO 63112

(314) 367-1364 FAX: (314) 361-8649 324 PARK CENTRAL WEST SUITE 101 0 SPRINGFIELD, MO 65806 (417) 868-8745 FAX: (417) 831-1349 http://mccaskill.senate.gov

I am writing today in support ofSpringfield-Branson (SGF) National Airport's application for a Small Community Air Service Development Program grant, CFDA program number 20.930. SGF airport has found thatthe residents ofSouthwest Missouri have deficient flight access to the Southeastern United States. Flights from SGF to Atlanta already operate with near 90 percent load factors. The approval ofthis grant would allow the airport to either add capacity to Atlanta or to attract flights to US Airways's Charlotte hub, giving arearesidents more flight options. The approval ofthis grant would allow a fast-growing region to increase its access to the national air system after it has lost 30 percent ofits available seats since 2008, including service to several major hub airports. This grant would increase economic development in the region and accordingly the application has the support ofmany prominent members ofthe local business community. Thank you in advance for your full and fair consideration ofthis application. Please keep me apprised ofthe progress oftheir application.
Sincerely,

Claire McCaskill United States Senator