### THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590



### The Honorable Jeffrey A. Merkley United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Merkley: August 26, 2013

Thankyou for your letter, cosigned by Senator Wyden, supportingthe proposal submitted by the city ofKlamath Falls 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 conununities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares or insufficient service. Under the statute, the Department may make a maximum of40 grant awards each year, although no more than four awards may be to communities in the same State. In orderto provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility in the types ofprojects that can be funded. On June 24, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in receiving a grant this yearfile their applications by July 26. As these grant requests are pending before the Department, I cannot commenton the merits ofany particularproposal. I assure you that the Departmentwill give full and fair consideration to all proposals that have been properly filed. As is our standardpractice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in Docket**DOT~OST~2013-0120** 

### as a contact outside the record ofthismatter. I appreciate your interestin this program. A similarletter has been sent to SenatorWyden.

Anthony R. Foxx . '**-~** ""': ;- i j**~**

# I

l**~** 

# I I 

### THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590

TheHtmorable Ron Wyden United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear SenatorWyden: August 26, 2013

Thank you for your letter, cosigned by SenatorMerkley, supporting the proposal submitted by the city ofKlamathFalls for a grant under the U.S. Department ofTransportation's Small Community Air Service Development Program. 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. Under the statute, the Department may make a maximum of40 grant awards each year, although no more thanfour awards may be to communities in the same State. 

### Inorder to provide communities with latitude indeveloping solutions to their air service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility in the types ofprojects that can be funded. On June 24, the Department issued an orderrequesting that commtmities interested in receiving a grant this year file their applications by July 26. As these grantrequests are pendingbefore the Department, I cannot comment onthe merits ofany particular proposal. I assure you thatthe Departmentwill give full and fair consideration to all proposalsthat have beenproperly filed. As is our standard practice, I am placing a copy ofyourletter and this response in Docket DOT-OST-2013-0120 as a contact outside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate your interest in this program. A similar letter has been sent to SenatorMerkley.

Anthony R. Foxx

# nittd tts 

# rnatr WASHINGTON, DC 20510 July 23, 2013 The Honorable AnthonyFoxx Secretary ofTransportation United States Department ofTransportation 1200 NewJersey Ave., SE**Washington~** DC20590
Dear Secretary Foxx: We write to express our support for the City ofKiam.ath Falls' Small Community AirService Development Program grant application to the 

### U.S. Department ofTransportation. This grant would help fund a comprehensive marketingprogram to supportcommercial service atKlamath Falls Airport. Klamath Falls is a remote, rural community in Southern Oregon where local businesses' success depends on local air setvice for access to larger markets. The Southem Oregon region has been hal'd hitduring the recent recession and Klamath County still struggles with a high unemployment rate of 10.8 percent. SkyWest Airlines cun·ently provides the region's sole link to the natiotlal air transportation system. In order to maintain Sky West's presence, and hopefully eventually restore competing carriers to Klamath Falls Airport, passenger utilization must increase. These grant funds would be used to marketthe airport as a gateway to Crater Lake and othertourist attractions. Air service is vitally important to the health an.d growth ofthe Klamath business community. Thank you for yourfull and fair review ofCity ofKlamath Falls' request. Sincerely, 

# J.

# fb~1~ United States Senator