US.Departmentof Transportation Office oftheSecretary ofTransportation

The Honorable Mike Johanns United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Johanns: 

## JUL 52012 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590

Thank you for your letter supporting the proposal submitted by Sioux Gateway Airport for a grant under the U.S. Department ofTransportation's Small Community Air Service Development Program. The Small Community Air Service Development Program 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 4 awards 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 flexibility in the types ofprojects that can be funded. On May 15, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in receiving a grant this year file their applications by June 11. As these grant requests are pending before the Department, I cannot comment on the merits ofany particularproposal. I assure you that the Department will give full and fair consideration to all proposals that have been properly filed. As is ournormal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in Docket DOT-OST-2012-0069 as a contact outside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate your interest in this program. Sincerely yours,

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Aloha Ley Associate Director Small Community ProgramCOMMITTEES. MIKE JOHANNS NEBRASKA AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION AND FORESTRY
104 RuSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDINC, WASHINGTON, DC 20510 

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Aloha Ley Associate Director, Small Community Program Office ofAviation Analysis 1200 NewJersey Avenue, SE W86-310 Washington, DC 20590
Dear Ms. Ley:
I am writing to express my support for the Small CommunityAir Service Development Program grant application submitted bythe City ofSioux City, Iowa.
The Sioux Gateway Airport is a regional airport serving the entire Siouxland region, including parts ofNebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. Last fall, American Airlines became the subsidized Essential Air Service carrier for the Sioux Gateway Airport by initiating direct service to Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Subsequently, in April2012, the regional American Airlines carrier, American Eagle, became the lone cani.er at Sioux Gateway, offering direct round-trip flights to Chicago twice a day. Iffunded, the City ofSioux City, IA would use this grant money to enhance marketing efforts to ensure the success ofthe new American Eagle flights to Chicago.
The City ofSioux City is to be commended for its efforts to increase access to air service in the Siouxlandregion. Please feel free to contactme, or Andrea Synborski in my Washington, DC office at 202-224-4224, ifyou have questions as you review this application.
Thankyou for your consideration ofthis worthy application.
Sincerely,

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