THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON DC 20590 

The Honorable Thad Cochran 

United States Senate 

Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Senator Cochran: 

July 17, 2012 

Thank you for your letter supporting the proposal submitted by the Gulfport-Biloxi International 

Airport for a grant under the U.S. Department of Transportation'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 of 40 grant 

awards each year, although no more than 4 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 statute provides flexibility in the types of projects that can be funded. 

On May 15, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in receiving a 

grant this year tile their applications by June 11. As these grant requests are pending before the 

Department, I cannot comment on the merits of any particular proposaL I assure you that the 

Department will give full and fair consideration to all proposals that have been properly filed. 

As is our normal practice, I am placing c · 

DOT -OST -2012-0069 as a contact o 1d th 

this program. 

your interest in 
l 

I 

f"HAD COCHRAN 

. ··. :, :n 

':Jnitct1 ;~tatrs ~Senate 'NASHINGTON. DC 20510-2402 

June 9, 2012 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

u.s. Department of Transportation 

400 Seventh street, sw 

i'lashington, DC 20590 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

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.~OMINISTRATION 

It has come to my attention that the Gulfport~:Siloxi 

lnternational Airport has applied to your office for Small Communicy 

.Air Service Development Program grant funds. I understand that the 

grant will be used to restore air service to/from key Florida markets. 

As you know, the economy of the Mississippi Gulf coast has been deeply 

impacted in recent years by Hurricane Katrina and the oil spill in the 

Gulf of Mexico. · 

Additionally, the declining levels of overall airline competition 

and the loss of Gulfport-Biloxi's only low-cost carrier in March of 

2011 dictate that the Mississippi Gulf Coast tourism industry partners 

find other avenues to provide much needed tourism revenue. The 

Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport is aggressively pursuing new air 

service in an effort to restore the vital link to Ft. Lauderdale, 

Orlando, or other Florida cities. I am confident that you will give 

every possible consideration to awarding a Small Community Air Service 

Development Grant to this airport, as these funds will be important in 

finalizing an agreement with a targeted ~ir carrier. 

As a courtesy to me, I would appreciate the attachment of this 

letter of support to Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport's 

application in file. Your assistance in this matter is greatly 

appreciated. 

Sincerely, 

_ _...-::7 .,;? ,/" ~/ £ ;'' 

/'?,.~ --<rHAD COCHRAN 

United States Senator 

TC/mbm