TI M JOHNSO N SOUT H DAKOT A RAPI D CITY OFFICE : (605 ) 341-399 0 P O BO X 1098 , RAPI D CITY , S D 5770 9 ABERDEE N OFFICE : (605 | 226-344 0 P O BO X 1554 , ABERDEEN , S D 5740 2 SIOU X FALL S OFFICE : (605 ) 332-889 6 P O BO X 1424 , SIOU X FALLS , S D 5710 1 

# Bnite

dState s ^tm z
WASHINGTON , D C 20510^10 4 WAbHINLrlUNUFULt : 13 6 HAR T SENAT E OFFIC E BUILDIN G WASHINGTON , D C 20510-410 4

(202)224-584 2 TDD : (202 ) 224-827 9 TOL L FRE E 1-800-537-002 5 1-800-819-078 8 WE B SITE : http://johnson.senate.go v September

7,201 1 ToddHoma

n Director , Offic e <j>

f Aviatio n Analysi s o f Transportatio n Avenue , S E 2059 0 U.S
. Departmen t 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Washington , D C Dea r Directo r H e man : I a mwritin g wit

h Dakota
. Servic e j ^

C 3 rn^Or n O 

## o o C O regardt o Delta' s recen t

notic e o f intent t o terminat e servic e at

Pierre , Sout

h betwee n Pierre an dMinneapolis/St
. Pau l provide s acrucial link fo r travelers , businesses , a s well

l a s state an dfedera

l governmen t

employee s i

n an daroun dSout

h Dakota' s capital
. I n aletter t o th e describe dth e outline dth e Departmen t capita l city
. I n a andth e conslde n continue dt o jus t

- strongl y suppor

t Departmen t

o f Transportatio n date dJul y 31,2011 , Pierr e Mayo r Lauri e Gil l importanc e o f

havin g acces s t o th e Minneapolis-St
. Pau l International Airpor t and
' s previou s determinatio n o f th e nee dfo

r duel-hub servic e t o ou

r state' s 200 2 order , th e Departmen t recognize dtha

t th e uniqu e need s o f

th e Stat e Capito l bl e distance s involve d(38 5 mile s t o Denver an d35 0 mile s t o Minneapolis ) f y dual-hub servic e i

n Pierre
. Thos e consideration s are jus t a s important

toda y andI ;h e Mayor' s effort s t o ensur e servic e t o bot h Denver an dMinneapolis/St
. Paul
. Furthermore , Accordin g t o th e andJul y 201 1 cqnsecutiv e mo n o f ane w airpor

t passenge r ( deman dfo

r th e Pierre-to-Minneapoli s route ha s increase din recent years . Mayor , Delt aAirline s ha s seen a33.4 % increas e in boardin g betwee n Jul y 200 9 Coverall , th e Pierre Regiona l Airpor t ha s experience dincrease s in boarding s fo r 1 3 hs
. Thi s stron g deman dcombine dwit h significant

investmen t

in th e constructio n tjermina l underscore th e importanc e o f commercia

l servic e i n Pierre
. Th e Essential Ai

f Servic e programpromise s abasi c leve l o f servic e t o communitie s tha t migh t otherwis e b e overlooke dby carriers , bu t nonetheles s deserv e reliabl e flights
. Reliable , affordabl e ai r servic e i s criticall y important t o economi c developmen t andth e qualit

y o f lif e i n Sout h Dakota
. I woul dencourag e th e Departmen t o f Transportatio n to closel y revie w th e concern s o f th e communit

y an dconsider

maintainin g it s previou s determinatio n o f th e nee dfo

r bot h eastboun dan dwestboun d servic e i n Pierre
. Than k you fo r y c ur attentio n t o thi s important matter . Sincerely ,

COMMITTEES : APPROPRI A TimJohnso ) Unite dState s Senat

e Cc : Denniis^Dev

any^ , Chief , EsEeotk l A #Servic e an dDomesti c Analysi s Divisio n

IONS ; BANKING , HOUSING , AN D URBA N AFFAIRS ; ENERG Y AN D NATURA L RESOURCES ; INDIA N AFFAIR S