# e

U.S.Departinen t o f 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S

E TroiMpOrtaHo n Washington , D C 2059 0 Offic e O

f th e Secretor y .,_ _ ^ . ^.^ . o f Transportatio n SE P 2 0 201 1 

### Th e Honorable A

l Franken |- ^ ^Or- f United State s Senat

e "^^^'^ ^ Washington , DC 2051 0 -fr ' "• " 

### Dea r Senato r Franken : ^ Than k yo u fo r you r lette r supportin g th e proposa

l submittedb

y th e St . CloudRegiona

l Airpor t fo r agran t unde r th e Smal l Communit

y Ai r Servic e Developmen

t Progra m (Smal l Communit

y Program) . Th e Smal l Communit

y Progra mwa s establishe dto hel

p smalle r communitie s addres s ai

r servic e deficiencies , particularly issue s relate dt o hig h airfare s an

dinsufficien

t service . Unde r the statute , th e Departmen

t ma y us e the funds to mak

e amaximu

mof 4 0 gran t award s eac h year , although n o mor

e tha n fou r ma y b e t o communitie s i n th e sam e State . I n orde r t o provide communitie s wit

h latitude in developing solution s to their air servic e deficiencies , th e statut

e provide s significan

t flexibility i

n how th e financial assistanc e ma y b e used . O n Jul y 1 , th e Departmen

t issue d a n orde r requesting tha

t communitie s intereste din receiving agran

t thi s yea r file their application s b

y Augus t 2 . A s thes e gran

t request s ar

e pendin g befor e th e Department , I a

msur e yo u understandtha

t I cannot commen t o n th e merit s of an y particula r proposal . I assur

e you , however , tha

t th e Departmen

t will give ful l consideratio n t

o all proposal s tha

t hav e bee n properl y filed. A s i s ou r norma l practice , I a

mplacin g acopy o

f you r lette r an dthi s respons e i n Docke

t DOT-OST-2011-011 9 a s acontac t outside th e recor

dof thi s matter . I appreciat

e you r interes t in thi s program . I

f I ca n provid e furthe r information or

assistance , pleas e fee

l fi:e e t o call me . Sincerel y yours .

AlohaLe y Associat e Director Smal l Communit

y Progra m

# 7 UnitedState s Senat e WASHINGTON , DC 20510-230 9 Augus t 5,201 1 Ms . Aloh aLe

y Associat e Directo r Small Communit

y Progra m U S DO T Offic e o f

Aviatio n Analysi s 120 0 New Jersey Avenu e S E Washington , D C 2059 0 Re : Small Communit

y Ai r Servic e Development

Grant Program Dea r Ms . Ley : I a mplease dt o writ e in suppor t o f th e St . Clou d Regiona

l Airpor t and it s applicatio n fo

r fundin g fromth e Small Communit y Ai r Servic e Development

Gran t Program . Th e Cit y o f St . Clou di s locate d i n central Minnesota . Central Minnesot ai s home to anumbe

r o f highe r educatio n institution s an d numerou s businesses . Th e regio n ha s no t had regularl y schedule dai r passenger servic e sinc e December

2009 , whe n Mesab a Airline s discontinue dit s servic e to th e area . Thi s ha s bee n ahardshi p fo r are abusinesse s an dresidents , wh o mus t

driv e t o th e Twi n Citie s fo r ai r service . I f funded , th e St . Clou dRegiona l Airpor t wil l us e Smal l Communit y Ai r Servic e Developmen

t fund s to attrac t

a n air carrier i n order t o provid e regulai
- passenger ai r servic e t o th e region . Thi s applicatio n ha s th e suppor t o f th e MirmesotaDepartment o f Transportatio n andth e St . Clou dbusines s commimity . I n fact , businesse s and loca l government s are willin g t o contribute matchin g fund s fo r thi s application . Fo r th e reason s above , I encourag e your stron g consideratio n o f

thi s proposal . I

f yo u hav e an y question s or

nee dadditiona

l information , pleas e contac t Kati e Topinkaa

t 651-221-101 6 or

b y emai l a

t katie_topinka@franken.senate.gov . Sincerely , 

# Jj/U^Jjy ^ A l Franke n Unite d State s Senato r

V.'V'.VvFRAN:<-:I \

.S F MAT E .GO V

# uo u

Resolutio n No . 201 1 -1 2 Resolutio n o f suppor t fo ra n applicatio n t o th e U S DO T fo ra Smal l Communit y Ai rServic e Developmen t Gran t T o hel p enhanc e ai rservic e a t th e St . Clou d Regiona l Airport . Whereas , th e St . Clou d Regiona l Airpor t los t regularl y schedule d commercia l ai rservic e o n Decembe r31 , 2009 , whe n Delt a Ai rLine s withdre w service ; an d Whereas , man y studie s throughou t th e Unite d State s hav e confirme d tha t commercia l ai rservic e i s critica l t o th e economi c growt h an d stabilit y o f a region ; an d Whereas , th e St . Clou d Regiona l Airport (STC ) ha s bee n identifie d i n a 200 3 M N DOT Aeronautic s stud y a s a Tie r2 airpor t an d th e mos t likel y airport t o reliev e traffi c fro m Minneapolis/St . Pau l Internationa l Airport ; an d Whereas , th e Smal l Community Ai rServic e Developmen t (SGASD ) progra m i s designe d t o provid e financia l assistanc e t o hel p smal l communities , whic h are underserved , enhanc e thei rai rservice ; an d Whereas , th e gran t wil l ai d i n raisin g pledge s as par t o f th e 201 0 ai r servic e initiativ e tha t i s currentl y underwa y by th e St . Clou d Regiona l Airport ; an d Whereas , M N DO T Offic e o f Aeronautic s i s i n ful l suppor t o f thi s SCAS D applicatio n a s evidence d by th e attache d letter ; an d B E I T RESOLVE D B

Y TH E COUNCI L O F TH E CIT Y O F ST . AUGUSTA , MINNESOTA , THAT :

# po ^

Th e Cit y o f St . Augusta , MN , hereb y support s th e applicatio n o f a $500,00 0 Smal l Community Ai rServic e Developmen t gran t t o th e U S DO T t o hel p enhanc e ai rservic e at th e S t Clou d Regiona l Airport . Adopte d thi s 2"*

^ day o f August , 2011 . B . J . Kroll ( Mayor Attest :

Willia mR . McCabe , Clerk/Administrato r

# po< ^
RESOLUTIO

N SHERBURN E COUNT Y BOAR D O F COMMISSIONER S Augii8t2.201 1 ^ 0802 1 l-AD-142 7 Dat e Numbe r Suppor t fo r a n Applicatio n t o th e U S DO T fo r aSmal l Conununit y Ai r Servic e Developmen t Gran t t o Hel p Enhanc e Ai r

Servic e a t

th e S t Clou d Regiona l Airpor t WHEREAS , th e St . Clou dRegiona l Airpor t los t regularl y schedule d commercia l air servic e on December 31 , 2009 , when Delt aAi r

Line s withdre w service ; and WHEREAS , many smdie s throughou t th e Unite d Slate s hav e confirme d tha t commercia

l ai r servic e i s critical t o th e economi c growt h an dstabilit

y o f aregion ; and WHEREAS , th e St . Clou dRegiona l Airpor t (STC ) ha s bee n identifie d in a200 3 M N DO T Aeronautic s stud y a s aTie r 2 airpor t an dth e mos t likel y aiqjor

t t o reliev e traffi c fi-o

mMinneapolis/St . Pau l Internationa

l Airport ; an

d WHEREAS , th e Small Communit y Air Servic e Developmen

t (SCASD ) progra

mi s designe d t

o provid e financial assistanc e t o hel p smal l communities , whic h ar e underserved , enhanc e thei r air service ; an

d WHEREAS , th e gran

t wil l aidi n raisin g pledge s a s par

t o f the 201 1 air

servic e initiativ e tha

t i s currentl y underwa

y b y th e St . Clou dRegiona l Airport ; an

d WHEREAS , M

N DO T Offic e o f

Aeronautic s i s in ftd

l suppor t o f thi s SCAS D applicatio n a s evidence d b y th e attache dletter ; and B E I T RESOLVED , b y th e Sherburn e Count y Boar d o f Commissioner s tha

t th e Count

y o f Sherburn e hereb y support s th e applicatio n o f aSmall Communit

y Ai r Servic e Development

Gran t t o th e U S DO T t o hel p enhanc e ai r

servic e a t th e St . Clou d Regiona

l Airport . On Augus t

2,2010 , Commissioner

Ls&nAf A move d th e adoptio n o f th e abov e resolution ; Conmiissioner

p/'/ r he r seconde dth e motio n t o adop t sai d resolution , an

d thereupo n th e sam

e wa s pu t t o avote wit

h th e followin g result :

Ay e Nay e Commissioner

Farber v / Commissioner

Peterse n y / Commissioner

Riebe l / Commissioner

Schmiesin g y / Commissioner

Leonar d\ / AOTST : ^ X /yj ^ Bria n Bensen , Obunt

y Administrato r

(Seal )

# P o ^

Resolutio n No . 201 1 - -^" ^ Resolutio n o f suppor t fo ra n applicatio n t o th e U S DO T fo ra Smal l Communit vAi rServic e Developmen t Gran t T o hel p enhanc e ai rservic e a t th e St . Clou d Regiona l Airport . Whereas , th e St . Clou d Regiona l Airport los t regularl y schedule d commercia l ai r servic e o n Decembe r31 , 2009 , whe n Delt a Ai rLine s withdre w servic e ; an d Whereas , man y studie s throughou t th e Unite d State s hav e confirme d tha t commercia l ai rservic e i s critica l t o th e economi c growt h an d stabilit y o f a region ; an d Whereas , th e St . Clou d Regiona l Airport (STC ) ha s bee n identifie d i n a 200 3 M N DOT Aeronautic s stud y a s a Tie r2 airpor t an d th e mos t likel y airpor t t o reliev e traffi c fro m Minneapolis/St . Pau l Internationa l Airport ; an d Whereas , th e Smal l Communit y Ai rServic e Developmen t (SCASD ) progra m i s designe d t o provid e financia l assistanc e t o hel p smal l communities , whic h ar e underserved , enhanc e thei rai rservice ; an d Whereas , th e gran t wil l ai d i n raisin g pledge s a s par t o f th e 201 1 ai rservic e initiativ e tha t i s currentl y undenwa y b y th e St . Clou d Regiona l Airport ; an d Whereas , M N DO T Offic e of Aeronautic s i s i n ful l suppor t o f thi s SCAS D applicatio n a s evidence d b y th e attache d letter ; an d B E I T RESOLVE D B

Y TH E COUNCI L O F TH E CITY O F SAU KRAPID S MINNESOTA , THAT : Th e City o f Sau k

Rapids , MN , hereb y support s th e applicatio n o f a Smal l Communit y Ai rServic e Developmen t gran t t o th e U S DO T t o hel p enhanc e ai rservic e a t th e S t Clou d Regiona l Airport . Adopte d thi s jL^ ^

da y o f Juf/y /

2011 . /

Ros s Olson , Cit y Administrato r