Re: Essential Air Service- Miles City, Montana

To whom it may concern,**··~ ~;.** **~1 ~-**  :.; J 

## 3D As the Mayor ofMiles City, Montana, I want to express that it is imperative that we do not lose Essential Air Service (EAS) to our community. Our small community is a hub to the outlying smallertowns ofBroadus, Terry Fallon, Jordan, Forsyth, Rosebud, as well as thousands ofranches and farms in the same region.

I would like to make you aware that we have no public transportation available to our region, with the exception ofa small bus line called Rimrock Stages, which is atthe time is not running. Ifour citizens were to be required to drive to the next closest airport from the Miles City Municipal Airport, they would have to drive for as long as four hours to get there. It is importantto the citizens in ourregionthat, despite living inrural eastern Montana, they have the
same necessary travel amenities as larger communities.

The fundamental purpose behind EAS is to ensure that there is commercial air service available to less densely populated areas, as a lowerpopulation makes the operation ofa commercial airport unprofitable. Iunderstand that there is a significant financial cost in maintaining EAS in our area, but would also like to point outthat air service is one ofthe amenities which greatly improves the quality oflife in our farming and ranching region. Farming and ranching is hard work. In recent years, there has beenmovement away from passing family farms and ranches downto younger generations, in part due to the isolated lifestyle that often comes withbeing a farmer or rancher.

EAS makes it possible for those who choose to live the farming and ranching life, as well
as those who reside in the small surrounding towns which support regional farms and ranches, to drive to Miles City andbe connectedto the rest ofthe country through airtravel. I would like to point outthat without the hard work and dedication ofthe farmers and ranchers in ourrural region, that the more populousregions in ourcountry would not benefit from the meat, grain, vegetables and milk which are produced in eastern Montana. Production ofthese commodities necessarily requires a lot ofopen space, resulting in lightly populated areas. The very purpose of EAS is to ensure that those who are so vital to production ofourcountry's food supply not be isolated from the rest ofthe country by lack ofair service.
We, as Montanans, have a very strong sense ofnational pride. Montanacitizens enlist and serve in our military at a higherrate than any other state. Whenthese Montanans return home to visit their loved ones while on leave, these soldiers, sailors and Marines utilize EAS. Ourcommunity also houses the regional V.A. hospital and nursing horne facility. When families
come to visit our sick and aging veterans, theyutilize EAS.

Just as the farmers and ranchers in ourregion would never propose that we limit the supply offood from our region to therest ofthe country, we hope that you will not limit the ability ofour citizens to be connected to the rest ofthe country by EAS. Please understand that Essential Air Service truly is "essential"to ourregion.

### C. A. Grenz Mayor ofMiles City, Montana.