e 

u s. Department of 

Ttronsportotion 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

^iOPEaATfONS 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

The Honorable Amy Klobuchar 

United States Senate 

Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Senator Klobuchar: 

SEP 2 1 2011 

Thank you for your letter supporting the proposal submitted by the St. Cloud Regional 

Airport for a grant under the Small Community Air Service Development Program 

(Small Community Program). 

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 commimities 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 will give 

full 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 further information or assistance, please feel 

fi-ee to call me. 

Sincerely yours, 

Aloha Ley 

Associate Director 

Small Community Program 
AMY KLOBUCHAR 

MINNESOTA 

COMMITTEES: 

AGRICULTURE. NUTRITION. 

AND FORESTRY 

COMMERCE, SCIENCE, 

AND TRANSPORTATION 

JOINT ECONOMIC COMMfrTEE 

JUDICIARY 

Bnittd ^m m Senate 

WASHINGTON, DC 20510 

August 4, 2011 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretaiy, U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 Seventh Street, S.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Re: St. Cloud Airport Grant Application - CFDA #20.930 

Dear Secretaty LaHood: 

I am writing to urge your strong consideration of the proposal being submitted by the St. Cloud 

Airport for the Small Community Air Service Development Program grant in the amount of $750,000. 

The grant would be used to enhance air service in the St. Cloud area. 

St. Cloud Airport would use the Small Community Air Service Development Program to 

rehabilitate the air service in the St. Cloud area. In 2009, regularly scheduled air service in St Cloud was 

discontinued at great disadvantage to area businesses. The grant will provide the St. Cloud Airport with 

the funds necessary to reinstate direct air transportation services to the residents of the St. Cloud area. The 

Small Community Air Service Development Program grant would help offset startup costs, pay for 

marketing efforts, and cover any costs incurred by carriers to rejuvenate the St. Cloud area air service. In 

addition to these important enhancements, this project will ensure that the St. Cloud Airport is able to 

provide direct, affordable air transit options for the communities they serve. 

As a member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, I understand that a 

strong transportation infrastructure is invaluable to the economic growth of a region. This proposal would 

ensure that transportation available to the residents of the St. Cloud area would be of the highest level and 

would improve the economic development of the area. Ultimately, this proposal would help improve the 

quality of life for citizens through the creation of a stronger transportation infrastructure. 

For the reasons above, I encourage your strong consideration of this proposal. If you have any 

questions or need additional information, please contact Gia Vitaii in my Minnesota office at (612) 727-

5220 or by email at gia_vitali@klobuchar.senate.gov. 

Sincerely, I c l 6-v-->^!^^ 

7 

Am^^lobucm 

Unitedstates Senator