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The Honorable Sean P. Duffy 'r-> '-^^ ^ 

U.S. House of Representatives . po^zs: 

Washington, DC 20515 ^" =^ o 

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Dear Congressman Duffy: OJ 

Thank you for your letter supporting the proposal submitted by the City of Rhinelander 

and County of Oneida for a grant under the Small Community Air Service Development 

Program (Small Community Program). 

The Small Community Program was established to help smaller commvmities address air 

service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares and insufficient service. 

Under the statute, the Department may use the funds to make a maximum of 40 grant 

awards each year, although no more than four may be to communities in the same State. 

In order to provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service 

deficiencies, the statute provides significant flexibility in how the financial assistance 

may be used. 

On July 1, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in 

receiving a grant this year file their applications by August 2. As these grant requests are 

pending before the Department, I am sure you understand that I caimot comment on the 

merits of any particular proposal. I assure you, however, that the Department will give 

full consideration to all proposals that have been properly filed. 

As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2011-0119 as a contact outside the record of this matter. I appreciate your 

interest in this program. If I can provide further information or assistance, please feel 

fi-ee to call me. 

Sincerely yours. 

Aloha Ley 

Associate Director 

Small Community Program 
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Washington, DC 20515-4907 

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 

Dear Ms. Ley: 

I am writing to express my support for an application submitted by the Rhinelander-Oneida 

County Airport (RHI) for a Small Community Air Service Grant, which will be used for defraying 

start up costs associated with new airline service at the airport. 

Earlier this year, airport management was notified that, effective September 5, 2011, Delta 

Airlines would be eliminating scheduled service at the Rhinelander facility. Although service is 

offered by another carrier, the schedule limitations of this carrier have been found by many travelers 

to be unattractive and, consequently, decisions are being made to originate air travel out of facilities 

other than RHI. Although the economic impacts are unknown at this time, it is anticipated that this 

major gap in service will ultimately have a detrimental impact on the local economy. 

I have been advised by Airport Manager Joe Brauer that a source of service has been 

identified which will link RHI with Chicago-O'Hare (ORD). The opportunity to link ORD hub 

carriers United or American will provide a much more attractive option to travelers and help to 

ensure a continuity of quality air service originating from RHI. 

Due to my interest in this application, I would appreciate being kept informed of any 

developments. Please direct any correspondence to me at my District Constituent Services Center 

located at 208 Grand Avenue, Wausau, WI 54403. 

Should you have any questions or require any additional information, please do not hesitate to 

contact my Outreach Director, Kevin Jenkins, at (715) 298-9344 or by e-mail at 

kevin.jenkins@mail.house.gov. 

Once again, I am pleased to express my support for this application. 

Sincerely, 

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Sean P. Duffy 

Member of Congress 

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(yi'i) 298-9,m' • FAX: (715) 29K-934H 

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