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U.S. Department ,'; '•-:• OruAllJ' : Assistant secretary 1200 New Jersey Avenue. SE 

of Transportation;-; ''•" •']p'i_\<J:Vi^-'' ; Washington, D C 20590 

Office of the Secretary u/i n ^ , . 

of Transportation--!' • -n -. c> '^ r- c.-^ »"Hn w I CiiU 

The Honorable Lydia R. Mendez Silva 

Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico 

Cdmara de Representes 

El Capitolio 

Apartado 9022228 

San Juan, PR 00902-2208 

Dear Representative Mendez: 

Thank you for your February 18 letter regarding assistance to the Mercedita Airport under the 

Essential Air Service (EAS) program. As you probably know, Ponce has formally appealed the 

U.S. Department of Transportation's decision to rely on JetBlue's subsidy-free service £0 the 

mainland and not to renew Cape Air's EAS contract. We are currently evaluating the merits of 

the community's appeal. As is normal practice, we are placing a copy of your letter and this 

response in the Docket, which is available for public viewing at www.regulations.gov by 

entering DOT-OST-1999-6592 in the search field. 

If I can provide further information or assistance, please feel free to call me. 

Sincerely yours, 

isan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
sio-i io:i()i-()i6 

Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico 

Camar a de Representantes 

El Capitolio 

Hon . Lydi a R. Mende z Silv a 

Representante Districo 21 

Yauco - GuanJca - Lajas - Maricao - Sabana Grande 

Apartado 9022228 

San Juan. PR. 00902-2208 

Imendez@ 

camaraderepresenances.ors 

Tclefbnos; 

787-722-0801 

787-721-6040 

787-977-0128 

Fax: 

787-723-9551 

TTY: 

787-72 t-n09 

Oficina deDlstnto2l 

Tel-Fax 

787.873-5085 

Tebruary 13, 2011 

Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

United States Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave. SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Honorable Ray LaHood: 

Greetings. As Representative from the Twenty One House District of Puerto 

Rico, that consists of the municipalities of Yauco, Guanica, Lajas, Maricao y 

Sabana Grande, has come to our attention a situation that has brings to our 

people great concern and worries. 

Mercedita Airport of Ponce has been recipient of the Federal Essential Air 

Service (EAS) Program, with which can obtain, as you know, aerial access to 

rural communities by federal subsidy. This Regional Airport is the fastest 

link to our people to connect to Luis Munoz Marin International Airport of 

Carolina. Also, Aeropuerto Mercedita is vital for cargo between the South 

Area to the Metropolitan Area. Therefore, Mercedita is a critical hub for the 

economic development of the South and Southwest Region of Puerto Rico. 

In the Order Requesting Proposal, Mr. Todd M. Homman, as Director of the 

Office Aviation Analysis, stated that he would do no seek proposals for the 

replacement subsidy service for Mercedita Airport, claiming that Ponce 

receives subsidy-free jet service on daily basis in the form of flights from 

JetBlue and CapeAir Services, surpassing the requirements for federal fund 

assistance. 

We have been informed that, as this moment, neither Cape Air Service nor 

JetBlue have written contracts that require the currents flights schedules 

continues at the Mercedita Airport facility. Consequently, the Mercedita 

Airport will cease to operate if the federal subsidy is terminated. If Cape Air 
SIO-I 10301-016 

Service and JetBlue decide to end operations at Mercedita Airport, the 

airport could not continue open without federal funding. 

We hope that this communication help to understand the importance of 

Mercedita Airport and the critical problems that will results if the federal 

subsidy is finished for this airport. This will affect Luis Munoz Marin 

International Airport also, because Mercedita supplies with passengers and 

cargo to our International Airport and the people of the Southwest Region 

of Puerto Rico will not have aerial connections to our metropolitan area. 

On behalf of my constituents, we oppose that the federal subsidy of the 

Federal Essential Air Service (EAS) Program for the Mercedita Airport will be 

terminated and we urge that Mercedita Airport continue in the EAS 

Program. For further information regarding this important matter, you can 

contact me at (787) 722-0801. 

PS 

.ydia lyiendez Silva 

cc. Brad Woods 

Regional director 

US Department of Commerce 

1401 Constitution Ave. NW 

Washington, DC 20230 

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