U.S.Deportmentof Transportation Otftee oftheSecretary ofTransportation



### The Honorable PeterDeFazio U.S. House ofRepresentatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Congressman DeFazio: 

## NOV 1 7 

## 2011 1200 NewJersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590



### Thank you for your letter supporting the application submitted bythe Southwest Oregon •,_._I 

### Regional Airport for a grant underthe Small Community Air Service DevelopmentProgram. On September 27, following a fair and open competitivereview, the U.S. Departmentof Transportation (DOT) announced its grant selections, including an awardto the Southwest Oregon Regional Airport. As you may know, the Small CommunityProgrambegan in 2002 to help smallercommunities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues relatedto high airfares and insufficient levels ofair service. The Departmenthad up to $15 million available for Fiscal Year 2011 grant awards. Underthe statute, DOTmay use funds to make a maximum of40 grant awards each year, although no more than 4 may be in the same State. This year, the Departmentreceived 70 grant applications from communities in 34 States, collectively seeking more than $36 million in Federal assistance, considerably more than could be accommodated underthe statute. As noted above,.the Southwest Oregon Regional Airportwas among the 29 communities selectedto receive a grant for Fiscal Year 2011. As is ournormal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in Docket DOTOST-2011-0119. A copy ofOrder-2011-9-16 may be obtained at the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) Web site, which is www.regulations.gov. Entering "2011-9-16" into the field marked "EnterKeyword or ID" provides access to the full document. I appreciate your interest inthis program. IfI canprovide further information orassistance, please feel free to call me. Sincerely yours,

Aloha Lev Associate Director Small 

### Community ProgramPEltR /\. [!'-FAZIU

TRANSPOHTATION Ar-JU lf\JFR/,STRUCTLif-\E HIGH\rVAYS AN:J**TR/:~\Sf** /\Vf.ATION FU11LRO!'-.DS NATURAL RESOURCES SU8COMMITit-ES NATIONAL PARKS, F-ORESTS. AND PUBLIC LNmS ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES 

# <!:ongress oftbe mntteb**~tatcs** 

# J!'ouse ofl-\epresentati\.tes September 22, 2011

Aloha Ley, Associate Director Small Community Air Service Development Program United States Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE Washington, DC 20590 Dear Ms. Ley:**~-** •__j

CJ (] F'LEA**{.~f:** nEsPc,r\JD TO**213~** H•)V+ l::il,:' \1\ll,':of-I"Y:rT•=·r·J, DC**)IJ~,15-** :::O:J4**~·~Js-** (,41r: 40S E..c'"T l::nh**;~':'t:rJuE,** Eu·-JEHE, OR 87LW1

1547) ·16b-67J2 1-S00-944-900:3 12S CEi'1TRAI_ A\IEfJUE, #3'50

CCYJ::: BAY/ OR 97420

(5<11) 269-2609 612 SE JACKSON STREET, #P

ROSESUHG, OR 9747C

1541 I 440-3523 defazio.house.gov

Please note my support for the application submitted by the Southwest Oregon Regional Airport's (OTH) for a 2011 Small Community Air Service Development Program grant. Funds from this grant will help support new air service to the Salt Lake City hub. This OTH is a critical economic and transportation link for Southwest Oregon residents who otherwise would have to drive several hours to access a commercial airport. It has effectively used previously awarded Small Community Air Service grants to support the launch of service between North Bend/Coos Bay, Oregon, and San Francisco on United Express. That service thrived this summer with the addition of a third flight per day on the market's first jet, launched in June 2011. The OTH has now secured a local cash match of $180,000, or 23 percent of the total project cost of $780,000, to support the addition of SkyWest Airlines/Delta Connection service to the Salt Lake City hub. The service is targeted to launch in May 2012. This grant award would ensure the airport could support this service. Please give this request full and fair consideration.

:knf Sincerely,

PETER DeFAZIO Member of Congress