### THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590



### The Honorable JohnThodos Mayor ofEast Moline 915 SixteenthAvenue EastMoline, IL 61244 DearMayorThodos: August 26, 2013

Thank you for your letter supportingtheproposal submitted by the Quad CityInternational Airport for a grant under theU.S. Department ofTransportation's Small Community Air Service Development Program. The Small Community Air ServiceDevelopment Program was established to help smaller communities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues relatedto high airfares or insufficient service. Underthe statute, the Department maymake a maximum of40 grant awards each year, although no morethanfour awards may beto communities in the same State. In orderto provide communitieswith latitude 

### in developing solutionsto their 

### air service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility 

### in the types ofprojects that canbefunded. On June 24, the Department issued an orderrequesting that communities interested in receiving a grant this year file their applications by July 26. As these grantrequests are pending beforethe Department, I cannot comment on the merits ofany particular proposal. I assure you thatthe Departmentwill give full and fair considerationto all proposals that have been properlyfiled. As is our standardpractice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response 

### in Docket' DOT-OST-2013.-0120 as a contact outside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate your interest in this program.

Anthony R. FoxxJuly 23, 2013

The Honorable Anthony Foxx 

### US Department ofTransportation 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE WashingtonDC 20590 

## CITY OF EAST MOLINE 

# OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

Re: Small Community Air Service Development Program DOCKET NUrviBER: DOT-OST-2013-0120 Dear Secretary Foxx: On behalfof the City ofEast Moline, one ofthe Quad Cities, I am writing you in support of the Small Community Air Service Development Grant being submittedby the Quad City International Airport (MLI). The Quad City International Airport, located in Moline, IL, serves passengers from throughout the regions of Eastem Iowa and Western Illinois. The funds being sought will support the marketing efforts promoting existing, and possibly future, air service providers and their routes. Retaining quality and reliable air service in the Quad Cities is critical to the region's globally connected businesses and residents. The Quad Cities region is a bi-state community with a population over 400,000. A diverse mix ofFortune 500 companies, including the world headquarters ofDeere & Company, The Hon Company, Modern Woodmen ofAmerica, KONE Elevator/Escalator, and Alcoa all call the greater Quad Cities region home. In addition, the Department of Defense's Rock Island Arsenal is located in the region, providing critical global logistics, training and manufacturing equipment and services to thejoint forces. East Moline supports the Quad City International Airport's primary goals to soLidify existing air service, moderate future fare increasefand mal<:e current air service more sustainable, setting the course for future air service growth. Your full consideraf p. ofthis grant request is appreciated to continue the econmnic growth potential for the Quad Cities region. /'

JohnThode's, Mayor East Moline, Uinois

915 SIXTEENTH AVENUE e EAST MOLINE, ILLINOIS 61244