U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

SEP 19 2014 

Ms. Kristin Henderson 

Assistant Secretary 

Acting Chair, Los Alamos County Council 

1000 Central A venue, Suite 350 

Los Alamos, New Mexico 87 544 

Dear Ms. Henderson: 

~ . 

·.· \2d0 Ne~v Jersey Avenue. SE 

...• ~ Washington. DC 20590 

,, ···•. 

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Thank you for your letter to Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, supporting Los Alamos' 

application under the Air Transportation to Noneligible Places (A TNEP) program. Secretary 

Foxx asked that I respond on his behalf. 

One of the priorities of the Department is to ensure small and rural communities have adequate 

access to the national air transportation system, and I appreciate the concerns raised in your 

letter. However, remoteness is just one of several criteria enumerated in the ATNEP statute. I 

can assure you, however, that Los Alamos' application will be given full and careful 

consideration by the Department. 

The Department's action on this matter is being administered through a public docket, which 

allows all interested parties the opportunity to comment. Following our normal practice, I am 

placing a copy of your letter and this response in docket number DOT-OST-2014-0127. 

I appreciate your interest in this matter. Please feel free to contact me if I can be of further 

assistance. 

S10-140902-012 

Sincerely yours, '/(' ;· ?/ -(/ t' . l; ~~"( // 

J." • · (_."-'" L-- _;;:-./-

-' Susan L. Kurland · 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
1111 

1111 

August28,2014 

Anthony Foxx 

LOS ALAMOS COUNTY 

1000 Central Avenue, Suite 350 - Los Alamos, NM 87544 

Phone (505) 663-1750 Fax (505) 662-8079 

Website: I'NNI.Iosalarnosnm.us 

Secretary of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Dear Secretary Foxx, 

COUNTY COUNCIL 

Council Chair 

Geoff Rodgers 

Council Vice-Chair 

Kristin Henderson 

Councilors 

Frances M. Berling 

Steven Girrens 

David lzraelevitz 

Rick Reiss 

Pete Sheehey 

COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR 

Harry Burgess 

This responds to a letter dated August 8, 2014, sent on your behalf by Susan Kurland 

to Los Alamos County. 

Let me begin by thanking you for your consideration of our application to participate 

in the Air Transportation to Noneligible Places (ATNEP) Program (49 U.S.C. § 

41736). Chosen for its remoteness in 1948, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) 

was able to explore and ultimately exploit, the mysteries of nuclear science in relative 

obscurity. However, the very reason the site was selected is now proving to be its 

millstone. More than once, members of the scientific community have said they 

prefer not to do business in Los Alamos because its isolated location adds at least 

one more day of travel to their itinerary. 

Los Alamos is located just shy of 100 miles from the Albuquerque Sunport. To some, 

this may not seem like a terribly long drive to make in order to access a medium hub 

airport. Not generally known however is the fact that Los Alamos is located in the 

mountains of Northern New Mexico. It is 60 miles from the nearest Interstate 

highway (1-25). More than half of the drive to 1-25 is by way of rural roads with speed 

limits of 35 mph and 55 mph. Only when one reaches the Interstate in Santa Fe is 

the traveler able to drive at freeway speeds. Once in Santa Fe, it is only 40 minutes 

to Albuquerque. Unfortunately, it generally takes an hour to get to that point. 

510-140902-012 
As your office considers the merit of Los Alamos' eligibility for consideration in the 

Air Transportation to Noneligible Places Program, I respectfully request 

consideration not be lost on the true accessibility of Los Alamos. It is best described 

by comparing the difference in time it takes to make the commute -- a 2 hour drive 

versus a 20 minute flight. Together, with a $49 fare, scheduled air service between 

Los Alamos and Albuquerque is more necessity than luxury. It is cost effective for 

the government, LANL, the County, and the citizens of Los Alamos County. 

Again, thank you for your consideration of our application. 

Sincerely, 

~---~~ -~) ~· .-\ CA__s\··~·- (~ 

Kristin Henderson, Acting Chair 

Los Alamos County Council 

510-140902..012