### UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, D.C.

Essential Air Service at Issued by the Department ofTransportation onthe 31st ofJanuary, 2014 Order 2014-2.;2 Served: January 31, 2014

WATERTOWN, SOUTH DAKOTA DOCKET DOT-OST-2001-10644 Under 49 U.S.C. 41731 

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ORDERAPPROVING ALTERNATE SERVICE PATTERN Summary By this Order, the Departmentis approving the request ofGreat Lakes Aviation, Ltd. (Great Lakes) to alter Watertown, South Dakota's service patternby allowing service to Denver, Colorado (DEN) in additionto Minneapolis, Minnesota (MSP). Background By Order 2011-11-30, November 23,2011, the Department selected Great Lakes Aviationto provide subsidized essential air service at Watertown for an annual subsidy amount of $1,710,324. Inthat Order, Great Lakes was selectedto provide 18 nonstop round trips to MSP using Beech 1900 aircraft. By Order 2012-6-23, June 26, 2012, the Department established the effective period for the Essential Air Service (EAS) contracts awarded to Great Lakes Aviation for the two-yearperiod through May 31, 2014. Carrier Proposal In a January 21,2014, e-mail, the Department was notified ofGreat Lakes' request to alter Watertown's current service pattern by adding a flight to DEN from MSP (round trip) with stops in Pierre, South Dakota, and Watertown. Community Comments Inthat same e-mail, Steve Thorson, the Mayor ofWatertown, notifiedthe Departmentthat the City ofWatertown fully supports Great Lakes' request to change its service pattern at Watertown as described above. Decision We will approve Great Lakes Aviation's request, which meets the three conditions necessary for approval under authority assigned under 14 CFR 385.12(k) (3) ofthe Department's Regulations:2 (1) the alternate service pattern is equal to or greaterthan that determined to be essential; (2) the community does not object to the alternate service pattern; and (3) the alternate service pattern will not increase Great Lakes Aviation's subsidy. Because we are simply allowingthe alternate service pattern and not requiringit, Great Lakes may revert to the original service pattern at any time. This order is issued under authority delegated in 49 CFR 1.56a (f) andre-delegatedto the Director, Office ofAviation Analysis. ACCORDINGLY, 1. We approve the alternate service pattern requested by Great Lakes, to serve Watertown, South Dakota, with service to Denver and Minneapolis, at the annual subsidy rate andpayout formula set forth in Appendix B ofOrder2011-11-30; 2. This docket will remain open until further order ofthe Department; and 3. The Department will serve a copy ofthis order onthe mayor ofWatertown, South Dakota, the airport manager ofWatertown Regional Airport, and Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd. Persons entitled to petition the Department for review ofthis Order under the Department's Regulations, 14 CFRPart 385.31, must file suchpetitions within seven (7) days after the date of · service ofthis Order. This orderwill be effective immediately, and the filing ofa petition for review shall notpreclude its effectiveness. By:

(SEAL) TODD M. HOMAN Director Office ofAviation Analysis

An electronic version of this document is available at www.regulations.gov