# u.s. Department o1 

### Transportation Office 

### ot !he

### Secrretarv ofTransportation



## Dr. 

## Carl E. Haynes, Ph.D. President Tompk.lns 

## Courtland Community 

## P.O. Box 139 170

## North St. Dryden,NY 13053-0139
Dear 

## Dr. Haynes: 

# SEP 19 2013

Thank: 

## you for yourletter ofJuly addressed to supporting

## the proposal submittedby t:he It:hacaTompkins Regional Airpor1 fora grant under the U.S. Department of 

## ·rransportation**~s** 

## Small 

## Community Air Development Program. has asked t:hat I

## respond to you on behalf:
The Small Community Air

## ServiceDeve1oprnentProgram was 

## established to help smaller 

## communities address air 

## service deficiencies.• particularly issues related to high airfat·es or insufficientservice. Under the 

## statute, the 

## Departrnent muy 

## make 

## a maximum 

## of40 

## grant awards 

## each

## year, although no more 

## than four 

## aWards may to 

## communities in the same State. In 

## orderto 

## provide communities with 

## latitude in developing solutionsto their air service deficiencies, the statute 

## provides flexibility in the ofprojects 

## that can be funded.
OnJune 24, the Depal'tment an order

## requesting that conununities interested ill

## receiving a grant this yeartile 

## their applications 

## July are 

## betbre the Depl.utment, I

## cannot comment on the 

## merits ofany particularproposal. 

## I assure 

## you that 

## the Department

## .will give full and fairconsideration 

## to ail 

## proposals thathave been properly 

## filed.
As is ourstandardpractice, Iarn placing acopy ofyourletter**~md** 

## this response in 

## Docket DOT.:.OST·2013:-0120 

## as acontact outside the record ofthis

## matter. Iappreciate your interest in this 

## program.
Sincerely 

# A;&n L Kurlm;d ;.NJ-(J!;<.Att 

## Assistant**Sccret~try** 

## for Aviation and International Affairs

# T

Tompkins Coiiland Community CoUege

July 

### 22, 2013
The Honorable Anthony Foxx Secretary of'Transportation U.S. Department ofTransportation 

### 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 

### 2059.0
Re: Application for Small Community Air Service Development GrantIthaca Tompkins Regional Airport, Ithaca, New York.
Dear Secretary Foxx:
I write in support of the grant application from the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport. At Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) the need for air travel, both domestic and international, for our faculty, staff, and students to participate in professional development and study abroad opportunities, is extremely important. We also have an active Global Connections program which btings international students to campus for our summer program. Availability of safe, economical, and accessible air travel options near to campus plays a key role in the success of the Global Connections program. It is also important that there be a local airport available for graduation speakers, keynote conference speakers, consultants, and visiting dignitaries from our partner institutions in several countries around the world to travel to TC3.
The local economy of Ithaca and Tompkins County is overwhelmingly centered on the educational sector andthese localeducational institutions serve interests that stretch beyond state and national boundaries to the farthest reaches of the globe. With the nearest interstate highway over 20 miles away, the community is isolated in the middle of Upstate New York. Isolated, that is, 

### if it were not for the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport. For many years now 

### it has been evident that without the airport and the scheduled air service 

### it brings, the employment opportunities andeconomic strength of the local economy would be severely compromised.
The volatility ofthe airline industry, continued congestion in the New York, Newark, and Philadelphia air traffic control area and more recent events concerning contract towers, all serve as reasons to lookolher than the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport for service. The Small Community Air Service Development grantwill help to expand air service offerings at Ithaca and provide more non-stop destinations to less congested airports. In a world of global competition, easy access to the world market has become an essential factor for our future wellbeing.
Your favorable consideration of Ithaca's application would be greatly appreCiated.

A< 'ilUJ'Crn{TI!F !-> IATl\ E!NIVEil!->llS uf'NFW YORK I**T~mpkin1** Cm!!aoJConm!Unitytolkgol! onEqualOppoitunllyFmployor/tdurolar