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### R. LEE JAMES. MEMBER 64TH LEGJSLAT!VE DlSTRICT HARRISBURG OffiCE MAIN CAPITOL BUILDING P.O. BOX 202064 HARRISBURG, PA 17120-2064 (7!7) 783-8188 DISTRICTOFFICE 3220 STATE ROUTE 257,SUITE 8 POBOX547 SENECA, PA 16354

(814)617-6413

July21,2014 The Honorable Anthony Foxx Secretary ofTransportation U SDepartment ofTransportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE Washington, DC 20590

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# of2Reprtstl'rlafiflts Commonwealth ofPennsylvania Harrisburg

Re: Support for Petition ofFranklin/Oil City 10 enplanement statute waiver, Docket No. 1997-2523 Dear Mr. Foxx: COMMITtEES FINANCE VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COMMERCE LOCAL GOVERNMENT

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The communities ofFranklin/Oil City and the Venango County Regional Airport were served, on June 24, with the Department ofTransportation Order 2014·6·6; Terminating EAS Eligibility and Establishing Waiver Procedures for possible continuation or reinstatementofcommercial airservice to the region. Iwrite today in support ofa waiver request submitted by the Airport Manageron behalfofFranklin/Oil City so that these communities and the Oil Heritage Region, served by the Venango Regional Airport, may have reliable commercial air service that is so vital to the area's economy. The Airport Manager at Venango Regional Airport has represented this region on the Pennsylvania Air Service Committee (PASC) since its inception in 2007 and has worked with airport colleagues, the Pennsylvania Department ofTransportation· Bureau ofAviation, (PennDot) and representatives ofthe Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) to restore service to PIT which is the preferred and natural connector for airpassengers from this region. The PASC, PIT and f'ennDot contracted the services ofa consulting firm in 20II to conduct a multi-year study to determine the viability ofrestoring intrastate service to PIT from both EAS and Non EAS communities. There is an opportunity now to regain service to PIT with an aircarriercommitted to this community operating abusiness model that has proven successful in many small communities; relatively high frequency, 9passenger aircraft, reasonable fares and viable connectivity to majorairlines as well as low cost carriers, (lCCs). This is a different business model from what we'vehad and we arc aware ofthe positive results experienced in many small markers. Iam encouraged that the (3) airlines that bid on Franklin/Oil City service to PIT all presented essentially that same business model as the most viable solution to improve passenger traffic and allow the community to satisfy EAS minimum requirements ofnot only the I0enplanements per daybut also to attain and maintain the $200 subsidy perpassenger rule. O"ur citizens look forward to reconnecting with Pittsburgh with the service to be provided by Sun Air International and look to the US DOT to allow Franklin/Oil City to start service to PIT under a waiver in order to provide reliable, timely air service to the region through the restoration ofthe connection to PIT. Thankyou, Sincerely,

# ~,.~8~ Pa Stale Representative 64111 Legislative District Venango and Butler Counties CC: Bany Schoch, PennDot Secretary