lJ,$,**}At'll"lriiM~~n't** 

### ofnansportauon Office.of theSecretory ofTransportation



### TheHonorable.Michael R. Knapik Massachusetts Senator**BQstQn~** 

### MA 02133 Dear Senator Knapik: SE 

## AUG 20 Zot3

Thank you 

## toryour letter ofJuly 30, 

### addressed to Secretary Foxx, suppm·ting the proposal submitted by the Westover Metropolitan Airport for a granttmder the 

## U.S. Departmentof**Transportation~::;** 

### Small Community Air Service Development Program. The Secretary has asked meto respond on 

### his behalf: The Small Community Air Service Development Program was established to help smaller com:munities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares or insufficientservice. 

### Under the 

### statute,. the Department may make a 

### ma.'<il'num of40 

### grant awards each year. although no more than four awards may be to communities in the 

### same State. In order to provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service deficiencies, the statuteprovides flexibility in the types ofprojects that 

## can be funded. On June the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested 

## in receiving a grant this year file theirapplications by July grant requests arepending before lhe Department, I 

### cannot comment on the merits ofany particular proposal. I 

### asst1re you that

### the Department

## will full and fair consi.deration ro all proposals that have been properly filed. As is our standard practice. Iam placing a copy ofyQur letter and this response in Docket**DOT-OST-2013~0120** 

### as a contact outside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate y.pur interest in tins program.

Susan L. 

### Kudand Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International AffairsSENATOR MICHAEL R KNAPIK SECOND HAMPOEN & HAMPSHIRE 01£TRICT

Secretary Anthony 

### R. Foxx COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUStTTS 

### MASSACHUSETTS SENATE STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, MA 02133·1053



### July 30,2013

United States Secretary ofTransportation 400 

### 7th Street SW Washington, MA 20590 Dear Secretary Foxx: STATE HOUSE OFFICE SrATE HOUSE ROOM419

SO$TON, MA 02133 TEl. (617) 722·1415 FA>' {617) 722· 1506

DJSTHICi 0PP1Cf. 57 NomH EtM ST. WESTFI!'U), MA 01085 TEL (413) 562·6454
M!CHAEl.KNAP"<@MASENATLGOV WWW.MAS€1\lATHJOV $ENA'TE O:lMM\'rT€1"ON

WAYS ANO MitANS RANKING ME'M!.!Ef!

I am writingthis letter in support ofthe Small Community Air Service Development Program grant application submitted by the Westover Metropolitan Airport. It is my understanding a request in the amountof$450,000 with a local matching share of$50,000 and airport in kind incentives of$308,330 has been applied for. I appreciate the opportunity to comment on this importantmatter. Westover Air Base has long played a critical role in homeland defense and in projecting American defense capabilities world wide, and is home to the United States AirReserve Command's439'h Airlift Wing. The airport is strategically located between Boston, Albany, Hartford, and Brattleboro. It is also located near 32 universities and colleges with 120,000 students preparingto compete in the global economy. Iffunded, the Small Community Air Service Development Program resources would complement monies from the WestoverMetropolitan Development Corporation in initiating marketing and advertising for futureairline service at Westover. I am confidentthat the entire Pioneer Valley would experience positive economic spin-offfrom thereturn ofpassenger service. Please accept this letter as my strongest support for this grant application. Ifyou require additional comment, please do nothesitate to contact me directly. Thank you, "n advance, for your most favorable consideration.