w^^ -;-''^RTMENTOF 

: T npti inS i'Jl -^^ Wisconsin Public Servic* Corporation 

700 North Ad»ms Street 

-r^ l _ U A ^;'- ! b P.O. Box 19001 

- - ^ '^ " ^ ' Green Bay, Wl 54307-9001 

www.wisconsinpublicservice.com 

August 3, 2011 

Aloha Ley 

Associate Director 

Small Community Air Service Development Program 

United States Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Re: Rhinelander/Oneida County Airport Grant Proposal 

Dear Ms. Ley: 

Rhinelander/Oneida County Airport has been notified by Delta Air Lines that the carrier will end decades of 

service to the region on September 5, 2011. The clear reason provided for the decision is not traffic levels, but 

simply the Delta's system is restructuring and reducing its regional fleet. The fallout is that Rhinelander is 

losing the majority of its connectivity with the national and global air transportation system. 

The Airport has identified a solution in recruiting service to Chicago/O'Hare. In fact connectivity of either of 

the two hubbing carriers (American or United) at O'Hare will allow more access than the traditional service to 

Minneapolis/St. Paul. 

In closing, Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) a major electric and natural gas supplier in Rhinelander and the 

region would like to go on record in support of the grant application. Quality commercial air service is critical 

to the economic stability of the region and if this air service is not available at the Rhinelander/Oneida County 

airport WPS would be one of many local businesses that would have to try and arrange alternatives to utilizing 

the air service from the local airport. WPS uses the airport to send employees out of the state from our four 

local offices in that area, and to bring clients and customers Into the community. 

We appreciate the Department's consideration of this application. 

Sincerely, 

T^A 

Theodore J. Penn 

Director - Business and Community Development 

(920) 433-1627 

tiPenn(5)wisconslnpublicservice.com 

cc: Joe Brauer 

Airport Director 

3375 Airport Road 

Rhinelander Wl 54501 
August 1,2011 

Aloha Ley 

Associate Director 

Small Community Air Service Development Program 

United States Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Re: Rhinelander/Oneida County Airport Grant Proposal. 

Dear Ms. Ley: 

Rhinelander/Oneida County Airport has been notified by Delta Air Lines that the carrier 

will end decades of service to the region on September 5,2011. The clear reason 

provided for the decision is not traffic levels, per se, but simply Delta's system is 

restructuring and rediicinig its regional fleet The fallout is that Rhinelander is losing the 

majority of its connectivity with the national and global air transportation system. 

The Airport has identified a solution in recruiting service to Chicago/O'Hare. In fact 

connectivity of either of the two hubbing carriers (American or United) at O'Hare will 

allow more access than the traditional service to Minneapolis/St. Paul. 

In closing, it is vitally important to the Wausau Paper, LLC, Rhinelander paper mill to 

have airline service at the Rhinelander/Oneida County Airport to support our business 

operations. Our products ship to a variety of places in the United States and around the 

globe and we need to be able to travel to those same places to market and support our 

products and service our customers. Suppliers to us need the same options and flexibility 

in being able to call on us. 

We appreciate the Department's consideration of thia application. 

Kindest regards 

Linda Fox 

Director Procurement 

Wausau Paper, LLC 

cc^^'Rhinelander/Oneida County Airport, 3375 Airport Road, Rhinelander Wl 54501 

;;. I.I 
DOCTORS 2253 AIR PARK ROAD • P.O. BOX 100 

FOSTER-^SMIT H ^o::,":^^:;"'°'°'"° 

www.drsfostersmith.com 

August 4, 2011 

Aloha Ley, Associate Director 

Small Community Air Service Development Program 

United States Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Re: Rhinelander/Oneida County Airport Grant Proposal 

Dear Ms. Ley: 

Rhinelander/Oneida County Airport has been notified by Delta Airlines that the carrier will end decades 

of service to the region on September 5, 2011. The clear reason provided for the decision is not traffic 

levels, per se, but simply that Delta is restructuring and reducing its regional fleet. The fallout is that 

Rhinelander and much of north central Wisconsin will lose the majority of its connectivity with the 

national and global air transportation system. 

The airport has identified a solution in recruiting service to Chicago/O'Hare. In fact connectivity of 

either of the two hubbing carriers (American or United) at O'Hare will allow more access than the 

previous Delta service to Minneapolis/St. Paul. 

Our company, Doctors Foster and Smith, is the largest pet supply catalog and internet company in the 

United States. We are also one of the largest private employers in Oneida County. During the course of 

business each year we deal with over 500 companies that sell products to us. We also deal with a myriad 

of printers, supply vendors and other support companies necessary for the efficient conduct of our 

business. Representatives from most of the companies travel to Rhinelander several times a year. The 

availability of an efficient, easily accessible airport is extremely important in developing and maintaining relationships with our business partners. Not having ready access to these companies would make 

conducting business in Rhinelander much more difficult. 

In closing, we are hopeful your office will approve the Small Community Air Service Grant which will 

help defer the startup costs involved for a new airline to begin providing service to the Rhinelander/ 

Oneida County Airport We appreciate the Department's consideration of this application. 

Sincerely, 

John B. Powers 

Vice President 

JBP/jrf 

cc: Rhinelander/Oneida County Airport 

PRODUCT S FO R YOU R PE T SELECTE D B Y OU R VETERINARIAN S 
Augusts, 2011 

Aloha Ley 

Associate Director 

Small Community Air Service Development Program 

United States Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Re: Rhinelander/Oneida County Airport Grant Proposal. 

Dear Ms. Ley: 

Rhinelander/Oneida Count Airport has been notified by Delta Air Lines that the carrier 

will end decades of service to the region on September 5, 2011. The clear reason 

provided for the decision is not traffic levels, per se, but simply the Delta's system is 

restructuring and reducing it regional fleet. The fallout is that Rhinelander is losing the 

majority of it s connectivity with the national and global air transportation system. 

The Airport has identified a solution in recruiting service to Chicago/O'Hare. In fact 

connectivity of either of the two hubbing carriers (American or United) at O'Hare will 

allow more access than the traditional service to Minneapolis/St. Paul. 

In closing, by having more options locally, we will be able to continue using our local 

airport. The closest alternative is an hour drive away. We have, in the past, paid a little 

extra for the convenience of using the Rhinelander airport (5 minutes fi:om our home). 

Only having one carrier, does not allow for competitive pricing and will cause us to seek 

out other options. We take 2- 3 trips per year and have family that visit yearly, as well. 

Though this may not seem like a lot, I'm sure we are not the only family. We would love 

to continue to support our local community and hope the grant is approved to enable us to 

do so. 

We appreciate the Department's consideration of this application. 

Kindest regards. 

asken) Molley