TH E SECRETAR Y O F TRANSPORTATIO N WASHINGTON , D.C . 2059 0 Septembe r 09 , 201 1 

### ^O P ^EN T O F JPERATION S 8 A '1 : 2 S

The Honorabl e Susa

n M . Collin s Unite d State s Senat

e Washington , D

C 2051 0 Dea r Senator Collins : Than k yo u fo r you r lette r supportin g the proposa

l submitte d b y th e Aubum-Lewisto n Municipa l Airpor t fo r agran t under th e Smal l Communit

y Ai r Servic e Development

Program . Th e Smal l Communit

y Progra mwa s establishe d to hel

p smaller communitie s addres s ai r

servic e deficiencies , particularl y issue s relate d t o high airfare s and insufficien t service . Unde

r th e statute , th e U.S . Department o f TrOTsportatio

n ma y mak e amaximu mo f

4 0 gran t award s eac h year , allhougli n o more tha n 4 ma y b e t o communitie s i

n th e same State . I

n orde r to provide communitie s wit

h latitud e i

n developin g solution s t

o thei r ai r servic e deficiencies , th e statute allow s significan

t flexibility in ho w the financial assistanc e ma y b e used . O n Jul y 1 , th e Department

issue d a n order requestin g tha

t communitie s intereste d i

n receivin g a gran t thi s yea r file thei r application s b

y Augus t 2 . A s thes e grant

request s ar e pendin g befor e the Department , I a

msur e yo u understan d tha t I canno t commen t o n th e merit s o f

any particula

r proposal . 1 ca

n assure you , however , tha t th e Departmen

t will giv e ful

l consideratio n t o al l 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 of

you r lette r an d thi s respons e i

n Docke t DOT-OST-2011-Q

l 1 9 a s acontac t

outsid e th e recor

d o f thi s matter . I appreciat e you r interes t i n thi s program . If

I ca n provid e furthe

r informatio n o

r assistance , pleas e fee

l free to cal l me .SUSA N M . dOLLIN S S I 0-110726-00 1 COMMtmfS ; ' MAIN

C iroMJUNOStCURiTYANI ) OOVCRNMENTA L AFFAIR S WA9«l»«3TON , D C }0iltn9O 4 WfKO'WATSm S 

# ,.x^A. . lanitmState s ^tnat e ^^ ^ WASHINGTON , DC 20510-190 4 .lul y 18,201 1 Honorable Ra

y LaHood , Secretar

y U.S . Departmen

t o f Transportatio n 40 0 7 * Stree

t S W Washington , D

C 2059 0 Dea r Secretar y LaHood : J a mwritin g t

o expres s m

y suppor t fo r the Auburn

- Lewiston Municipa l Airport' s proposa l unde r th e Small Communit

y Ai r Servic e Developmen

t program . Th e SCAS D plan s t o us e thi s assistanc e t

o hel p establis h th

e Auburn

- Lewiston Municipa l Airpor t a s amajo r gatewa y fo r national , commercia

l ai r transportatio n i

n centra l Maine . I ask

tha t yo u giv e thi s proposa

l al l appropriat e consideratio n durin g the review process . Th e purpos e o f

SCAS D i s t o addres s deficiencie s i n communitie s with insufficient ai r service . Currently , th e closes t airpor t to th e Levviston-Aubur

n regio n tha

t provide s passenger servic e i s locate d mor e tha n 4 5 minute s away . Thi s distanc e i s not onl y inconvenient

fo r thos e livin g in central Maine ; i t inhibit s economi c growt

h i n th e region . Thi s expansion project

would allo w the Auburn

- Lewisto n airpor t t o hel p enhanc e th e economi c wel l bein g o f the area . Th e Lewiston-Aubu mregio n ha s grow n significantl y i n bot h populatio n an d importanc e in recen t

years . Th e expansio n projec t propose d b y th e Aubum-Lewisto n airpor t woul d attrac t

mor e busines s jets , larger carg o planes , and passenge r service , helpin g to promote economi c condition s in central Main e and provid e convenienc e fo r thos e wh o liv e i n the Lewiston-Aubun i area . I commen d th e Auburn-Lewisto n Municipa l Airpor t fo r it s progressive , detail-oriente d plan . It i s wit h thi s i n min d tha

t 1 expres s m

y suppor t o f th e airports ' expansio n under th e Smal l Communit

y Ai r Servic e Developmen t

Program . Sincerely ,

Susa n M . Collin s Unite d State s Senato r SMC : cw k

( ^ PRINTE D O N RECVCtEOPAP f f t