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### Th e Honorabl e Lydi aR . Mende z Silv a Estad o Libre Asociad o d e Puert o Ric o Cdmar ad e Represente s E l Capitoli o Apartad o 902222 8 SanJuan , PR00902-220 8 Dea r Representativ e Mendez : Than k yo u for you r February 1 8 lette r

regardin g assistanc e t o th e Mercedit aAirport unde r th e Essentia l Air

Servic e (EAS ) program . A s yo u probabl y know , Ponc e ha s formall y appeale dth e U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportation' s decisio nto rel y o nJetBlue' s subsidy-fre e servic e £ 0 th e mainlan dan dno t

to rene w Cap e Air' s EA S contract . W e are currentl y evaluatin g th e merit s o f th e community' s appeal . A s i s norma l practice , w e are placin g acop y o f you r lette r an dthis respons e i

nth e Docket, whic hi s availabl e for publi c viewin g at

www.regulations.go v by enterin g DOT-OST-1999-659 2 i nth e searc hfield . If Icanprovid e further

informatio no r

assistance , pleas e feel free t o cal l me . Sincerel y yours ,

isa nL . Kurlan d Assistan t Secretary for Aviatio nan dInternationa l Affair s

### sio- i io:i()i-()i 6 Estad o Libr e Asociad o d e Puert o Ric o Camar a d e Representante s

E l Capitoli o Hon . Lydi a R . Mende z Silv a

Representant e Distric o 2 1 Yauc o - GuanJc a - Laja s - Marica o - Saban a Grand e

Apartad o 902222 8 Sa n Juan . PR . 00902-220 8 Imendez @ camaraderepresenances.or s

Tclefbnos ; 787-722-080 1 787-721-604 0 787-977-012 8 Fax : 787-723-955 1 TTY : 787-7 2 t-n0 9 Oficin a deDlstnto2 l Tel-Fa x 787.873-508 5 Tebruar y 13 , 201 1

Honorabl e Ra

yLaHoo d Secretar yo fTransportatio n Unite d State s Departmen t o fTransportatio n 120 0 Ne wJerse yAve . SE Washington , DC 2059 0 Honorabl e Ra

yLaHood : Greetings . A s Representativ e fro m th e Twent yOn e Hous e Distric t o fPuert o Rico , tha t consist s o fth e municipalitie s o fYauco , Guanica , Lajas , Marica o y Saban a Grande , ha s com e t o ou rattentio n a situatio n tha t ha s bring s t o ou r peopl e grea t concer n an d worries . Mercedit a Airpor t o fPonc e ha s bee n recipien t o fth e Federa l Essentia l Ai r Servic e (EAS ) Program , wit h whic h ca n obtain , as yo u know , aeria l acces s t o rura l communitie s b yfedera l subsidy . Thi s Regiona l Airpor t i s th e fastes t lin k t o ou rpeopl e t o connec t t o Lui s Muno z Mari n Internationa l Airpor t o f Carolina . Also , Aeropuert o Mercedit a i s vita l fo rcarg o betwee n th e Sout h Are a t o th e Metropolita n Area . Therefore , Mercedit a i s a critica l hu b fo rth e economi cdevelopmen t o fth e Sout h an d Southwes t Regio n o fPuert o Rico . I n th e Orde rRequestin g Proposal , Mr . Tod d M . Homman , a s Directo ro fth e Offic e Aviatio n Analysis , state d tha t h e woul d d o n o see k proposal s fo rth e replacemen t subsid yservic e fo rMercedit a Airport , claimin g tha t Ponc e receive s subsidy-fre e je t servic e o n dail ybasi s i n th e for m o fflight s fro m JetBlu e an d CapeAi rServices , surpassin g th e requirement s fo rfedera l fun d assistance . W e hav e bee n informe d that , as thi s moment , neithe rCap e Ai rServic e no r JetBlu e hav e writte n contract s tha t requir e th e current s flight s schedule s continue s a t th e Mercedit a Airpor t facility . Consequently , th e Mercedit a Airpor t wil l ceas e t o operat e i fth e federa l subsid yi s terminated . I fCap e Ai r

### SIO- I 10301-01 6 Servic e an d JetBlu e decid e t o en d operation s a t Mercedit a Airport , th e airpor t coul d no t continu e ope n withou t federa l funding . W e hop e tha t thi s communicatio n hel p t o understan d th e importanc e o f Mercedit a Airpor t an d th e critica l problem s tha t wil l result s i fth e federa l subsid yi s finishe d fo rthi s airport . Thi s wil l affec t Lui s Muno z Mari n Internationa l Airpor t also , becaus e Mercedit a supplie s wit h passengers an d carg o t o ou rInternationa l Airpor t an d th e peopl e o fth e Southwes t Regio n o fPuert o Rico wil l no t hav e aeria l connection s t o ou rmetropolita n area . O n behal fo fm yconstituents , w e oppos e tha t th e federa l subsid yo fth e Federa l Essentia l Ai rServic e (EAS) Progra m fo rth e Mercedit a Airpor t wil l b e terminate d an d w e urg e tha t Mercedit a Airpor t continu e i n th e EA S Program . Fo rfurthe rinformatio n regardin g thi s importan t matter , yo u ca n contac t m e a t (787 ) 722-0801 . 

# P S .ydi a lyiende z Silva cc . Bra d Wood s Regiona l directo r US Departmen t o fCommerc e 140 1 Constitutio n Ave . N W Washington , D

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