October 27, 2014

The Honorable Mark Begich United States Senate Suite 308 One Sealaska Plaza Juneau, AK99801

The Honorable Don Young US House ofRepresentatives 4241 B Street Suite 203 Anchorage, AK 99503

Dear Senators and Congressman Young: 

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,';;Th-e Honorable Lisa Murkowski United"States Senate 800 GlacierAvenue Suite 101 Juneau, AK 99801



### We are writingto requestyourimmediate assistance regarding an urgent crisis facing 

### oua· communities-theUS Department:ofTransportation'sthreatto cutourEssential Air Sel!"Vice (EAS) from 

### Juneau.

In a September 22, 2014 Request for EAS Proposals, US Department ofTransportation Office of Aviation Analysis (OAA) DirectorTodd Homan suggested that ifSitka-based Harris Air offers a minimum schedule from Sitkato our communities without subsidy, a service below the level ofessential air servicethe DOT established 35 years ago for these isolated Alaska communities, DoT will consider tenninating ourJuneau Essential Air Service. 1 In response, each ofus sent letters to DoT strongly objecting

### to this threat. We have notyet received responses. On October 24, the situation became more serious, as Harris Airhas now acted on DOT's invitation and proposed EAS service from Sitka to our communities. Harris proposes lowerfrequency and higher fares to Sitkathan we currently enjoyto Juneau. Ourprimary objection is 

### that it will economically cripple our communities to substitute longstanding main-line passengerand US mail service from Juneau for lesser, below-BAS established, service from Sitka.

As you know, Angoon, Tenakee Springs, Pelican and Eifin Cove are guaranteed essential air service by the 1978 Airline Deregulation Act. After the 1978 Airline Deregulation Act was signed into law, the thenCivil Aeronautics Board (CAB) fanned out across Alaska seeking community input on service patterns, frequencies and "etigible"hubsto meetthe new Essential Air Service requirements. In 1980, the DOT formally established minimum levels of"essential air service" thatmust be maintainedto each ofour communities in DOT Order 80-1-167 (attached). Most importantly, DOT Order 80-1-167 stipulates t.l-}at essential air service be provided to Juneau, as our hub airport.

As described in Detennination 80-

### J- i 67, the CAB wrote, "Basedon this information, we have made an analysis to determine each point's primary commu__ni1)1 ofinterest, and to determine which hub orregional center would assure the community access to the national air transportation system." Upon concluding this fact-finding, Juneau was designated the hub for air service to and from Angoon, Tenakee, Pelican and Elfin Cove. Sitka is not even designated as a lesser "regional center" for air service, much less an "FAA hub" for Alaska as Juneau, Anchorage,**Fairban..~s** and Seattle are designated. Sitka is not an aviation hub in regulation or in reality. Norcould Sitka even be called a "community ofinterest."

1 See attached Order DOT-OST-2002-11586-0045

### Juneau has been ourcommunities' air service hub, and the hub for all communities in Northern Southeast Alaska, for eighty years. Juneau is our state capital. Juneau's population supports large scale grocery, equipment and supply businesses such as Costco, Home Depot and Walmart. Juneau is the headquarters for Angoon's village native corporation-Kootznoowoo, Inc., and the headquarters ofthe regional native corporation, Sealaska. And Juneau is Alaska Airlines' hub for Southeast, and a destination for Delta Airlines. Angoon, Tenakee and Pelican depend on essential air service operated by Alaska Seaplanes to carry our US mail, from Juneau-where 

### it is processed. It is unclear whether mail could or would be re-rerouted through Sitka, and whether Harris Air'stwo amphibious aircraft are even capable ofhandling the same mail weight and volume as Alaska Seaplane's five straight-float aircraft.
DOT appears to be amendingthe EAS determination by footnote, without seeking input from the affected communities. This would set a significant adverse precedent that could dramatically impact service to rural Alaskan communities.

Juneau is where many ofourfamilies live. It 

### is where many ofour elders reside. It is where many ofthe second home owners in our communities make their first home. And 

### it is where some ofour locals go for work. USDoT's consideration ofsubstituting a Sitka hub for Juneau disregards their own regulations, flouts 80 years ofestablished service pattern, and defies common sense. The loss ofessential air service to Juneau in favor ofSitka would be socially and economically devastating to ourcommunities. Itmay be easy from a bureaucratic standpoint, sitting 3,000 miles from here, to see two points on a map as equidistant, but thatdoes notmake them equaL

We seek your immediate assistance to weigh in strongly with the Secretary ofTransportation and ensure that ourJuneau essential air service is maintained. Sincerely,

Matt Kookesh, Jr. Mayor ofAngoon, Alaska

DonPegues Mayor ofTenakee Springs, Alaska 

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### Patricia Phillips Mayor ofPelican, Alaska

cc: Governor Sean Parnell Dennis Meier, Mayor ofElfin Cove, Alaska Henrich Kadake, Mayor ofKake, Alaska