U.S. Department of Transportation Office ofthe Secretary OfTransportation



### . The"Honot:ablePaula BO"Gke.ry'· •-- -< · · 

### ·Florida Senator

Lakeland, FL 33806 DearMs. Dockery: 

## JUL 

# 6 2012 1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E. Washington, DC 20590



### Thankyou for your letter supportingthe proposal submittedbythe Lakeland LinderRegional Airport for a grant underthe U.S. Department ofTransportation's Small Community Air Service DevelopmentProgram. · The Small Community Air Service Development Program was established to help smaller communities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares or insufficient service. Underthe statute, the Department may make a maximum 9f40 grant awards each year, although no more than 4 awards may be to communities in the same State. In order to provide communities with latitude in developing solutionsto their air service deficiencies, tb,_e statute**pcgvides~flexib_ility** 

### ir1 tl}e txpes ofprojects that can**bt:__(und~d.** 

### OnMay 15, the Department issued an orderrequesting that communities interested inreceiving a grant this year file their applications by June 11. As these grant requests are pending before the Department, I cannot comment onthe merits ofany particularproposal. I assure you that the Department will give full and fair considerationto-all proposals that have beenproperly filed. As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in Docket DOT-OST-2012-0069 as a contact outside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate your interest in this program. Sincerely yours,

# i~QyW\26 Aloha Ley Associate Director Small Community Program·, 

## THE FLORIDA SENATE

, .**..,_~«** ··: ·· __Taliaha:ssee, Florida 32399-1100 COMMITTEES: Commerce and Tourism, Vice Chair Agriculture Budget· Subcommittee on Education Pre·K • 12

Appropriations Children, Families, and ElderAffairs Rules • Subcommittee on Ethics and ElecUons


### SENATOR PAULA DOCKERY 15th District**Jun~d, ~012**  Aloha Ley Associate Director Small Community Air Service Development Program United States Department ofTransportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE Washington, DC 20590 JOINT COMMITTEE: Public Counsel Oversight

"' JO
.... RE: Suppoa·t ofLakeland LinderRegional AirportApplicntlon for Funding Underthe Depnrtrnentof TmnsportntionSnu11I CommunityAirService DevelopmentProga·nm Docket: DOT-OST-2012-0069 DearMs. Ley:

. 

## - . 

## ...

.Please accept this letter·as affirmation ofmy official support ofLakeland Linder Regional Airport's FY 20 12 Small Community Air Service Development grant submission requesting federal funding to support marketing efforts at the airport. · · , · · "'· ·· · · · · · • .**~-** ,. ' < Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, located in the I-4 corridor between Orlando and Tampa recently lost its air service operated by Direct Air of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. While that company had structural financial problems, the air service provided was unique to our region and competitive with connecting services offered at nearby airports. I believe that with the right airline partners, the airport can reinvigorate air service in our region once again. 

### "



### . Our region has alarge pop!llation and unique mix ofbti.sinesses. Polk County, in which the airport is located, has a population. ,\·ell over 500,000, n;atdng it. die· ·largest population in Florida without air service, Our business community includes the headquarters for Publix Supermarkets, one ofthe largest privately operated grocery store chains in the country, and the brand-new LEGOLAND Florida operated by Merlii1 Entertainment, Inc. The Small Community Air Service**Devel~pment,** Program offers an opportunity for the airport, community, and federal government to work together to restore aiF:service to Lakeland and Polk County. This Grant is essential in bringing new service to our local airport. 

# .. Warm Regards,

# ~~· ..

Paula Dockery Florida State Senator, District 

### 15
REPLYTO:

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### a Posl Office Box 2395, Lakeland, Florida 33806·2395 (863) 413-2900 Toll Free: 1-866·248·6467 

### a 224 Senate Office Building, 4C4 South Monroe Street,**T~llahassee,** Florida 32399-1100 (850) 487-5040

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS President of the Senate Senate's Website: www.flsenate.gov MICHAEL S. "MIKE" BENNEIT President Pro Tempore 

# ..