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U.S . Dopartmen t o l Transportatio n Offic d o ( th e Secretar

y of Transportatio n Auittan i Stcrttar y 

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### 1 4 201 1 120 0 Ne wJtn» yAvenua . S E Washingion . O C 2059 0 

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Th e Honorabl e Lui s A . Berdie l River a Senado r Distrit o d e Ponc e E l Capitoli o P O Bo x 902343 1 Sa n Juan , P R00902-343 1 Dea r Senato r Berdiel : Than k you fo r your Februar y 2 8 lette r

regardin g assistanc e t o th e Mercedit aAirport under th e Essentia l Air Servic e (EAS ) program . A s yo u probabl y know . Ponc e ha s formally appeale dth e U.S . Department

o f Transportation' s decisio n t o rely o n JetBlue' s subsidy-fre e servic e t o th e mainlan dandno t

t o rene w Cap e Air* s EA S contract . We ar e currentl y evaluatin g th e merit s o f th e community' s appeal . A s i s normal practice , w e are placin g acop y o f you r letter andthi s respons e i n th e Docket , whic hi s availabl e fo r publi c viewin g a

t www.rcuulations.^o v b y enterin g DOT-OST-1999-659 2 i n th e searc hfield. I f I ca n provid e furthe

r informatio n o r

assistance , pleas e fee

l free t o cal l me . Sincerel y yours .

Susa n L . K.urlan

d Assistant Secretar y for Aviatio n an dInternational Affair sSIO- I !04()S-()0 3

LUI S A . BERDIE L RIVERA'^^TffS?^??? * Senado rDbtrit o d e Porx: e Preiident o Comhki n d e Agricultur o Februar y28 , 201 1 Honorabl e Ra

yLaHoo d Secretar yof Transportatio n Unite d State s Departmen t o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne wJerse yAve . S E Washington , D C 2059 0 Dea rMr . L a Hood : Th e mai n purpos e o f th e Essentia l Ai rServic e Progra m (EAS ) i s t o ensur e tha t smalle rcommunitie s woul d retai n a lin k t o th e nationa l ai rtransportatio n syste m I throug h a syste m of federa l subsidy . Wit h thi s program , th e Departmen t of § Transportatio n determine s th e minimu m leve l of servic e require d a t eac h eligibl e ? communitybyspecifyin g a hu b throug h whic h th e communit yi s linke d t o th e I nationa l network , a minimu m numbe ro f roun d trip s an d availabl e seat s tha t mus t I b e provide d t o tha t hub , certai n characteristic s of th e aircraft t o b e used , an d th e n I maximu m permissibl e numbe ro f intennedlat e stop s t o th e hub . 

## k ^ § ; TOu rMercedit a Airport , locate d i n te h cityo f Ponc e offer s service s t o resident s of , ^ ^ th e Sout h an d Eas t region s of Puert o Rico , unde rth e Essentia l Ai rSen^ice 21 " Program . Also , Mercedit a Airport sondes a s a n a d ho cairport fo rou rmos t I riniportan t airpor t hu b i n th e Island , Lui s Muiio z Mari n Airport , locate d more tha n cZ 2 0 mile s awayo f Ponce , i n th e Nort h region . 

## I s g p ; Las t Decerftber.'iVlr . Tod d M . Homan , Directo ro f th e Aviatio n Analysi s Offic e ' Z K - present s hi s proposa l fo rth e EA S program , i n whic h exclude s Mercedit a Airpor t I § t o receive th e benefit s of th e EAS program . Mr . Homa n argue s tha t Mercedit a 13 ' Airpor

t receive s subsidy-fre e Je t servic e o n dail ybasi s t o Cap e Ai ran d Je t Blu e I ^ flights . But , bot h airlines , Cap e Ai ran d Je t Blu e have n o write n contrac t i n th e o ^ Mercedit a Airpor t tha t coul d caus e tha t the ydecide d t o finishe d thei roperation s if ^ I the yloos e th e EA S progra m benefits . ai; rSIO- I |04()S-()0 3

Th e los s o f EA S progra m fund s coul d have a detrimenta l negativ e tmapc t i n ou r economy , tha t righ t kno wsuffe rdifficul t moments . Fo rthi s reason , w e encorage d t o yo u t o reconside rMr . Homa n poin t o f vie wan d includ e Mercedit a Airport i n th e EAS progra m fun d recipients . Wit h you rhel p an d assitance , w e ca n provid e t o th e Sout h an d Eas t resident s o f Puert o Ric o wit h a n alternat e hu b t o fulfil l thei rtransportatio n needs . Pleas e conside ryou rdecision , th e residen t o f mo e tha n a hal f o f Puert o Ric o resident s wil l b e gratefu l t o yo u an d you rassistanc e i n thi s issue . Cordially . Ion . Luj<%rd(e l River a Ponc e District Senato r c . Men . Mari a "Mayita ' Mel6nde z Altieri ,