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# MORRISON MAIERLEtINC. AnEmployee-OwnedCompany April12, 2013
US Department ofTransportation Docket Operations, M-30 West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140 1200 NewJerseyAve. SE Washington, DC 20590 RE: Essential Air Service, Lewistown, Montana (Including Miles City, Montana) Docket DOT-OST-1997-2605 Dear Sirs; ;**·~** LJ ENGINEERS SURVEYORS

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Morrison
- Malerie Inc. is an Engineering firm that provides Airport Engineering .services to the Lewistown Municipal Airport, as well as other similar communities in rural Montana to help them maintain their airports. We knowfirsthand these airports are essential to these communities and their economic prosperity. Loss of essential air service would have a significant negative economic impact to these communities. Morrison
- Maierle Inc. respectfully requests you reconsider your plan to terminate the EAS program to these communities based on numbers received from the current year. Essential Air Service is a viable, cost-worthy program as shown in years past, priorto SilverAirways. For example, in 2009 Great Lakes Airlines' passenger count for Lewistown, MT. was 2070, at a subsidyvalue of $961,877 for a per passenger cost of$464.67(1). In 2010, Great Lakes Airlines' passenger count for Lewistown was 1400 at a subsidy value of$941,919.00 for a per passenger cost of$672.80(1,2). These values are well underthe $1 ,000.00 threshold and the service provided at that time was what the community wanted and needed. Morrison
- Maierle Inc. requests the U.S. Department ofTransportation notterminate the EAS eligibility atthese airports at this time. Your decision appears to be based on the values forjust the recent year, when the service provided has been sub-par. Let the communities maintain their Essential Air Service and select a carrierthis year based on what their respective communities need In an air-carrier. We are confident these numbers will once again approach the 2009 values, and probably even higher ifgiven a chance with the proper service. If Essential Air Service is eliminated at these communities, it has been suggested thatthey are not eligible to get it back. Considering the commitment In dollars these communities have provided in maintenance, equipment, and services overthe years to accommodate this service, itwould be a shame to lose it now, and possibly forever. Lewistown alone has spent

1. Montana Department ofTransportation 2. Passenger numbers were affected by a main runway reconstruction project which closed the airport for amonth

## MORRISON MAIERLE,INC. nearly $4 million overthe last 4 years upgrading their airport to higher safety and quality standards to provide a safe operating environment for air service to their community. As stated, and for reasons noted herein, Morrison
- Maierle Inc. is requesting the Department ofTransportation not terminate Essential Air Service at these communities at this time. Allow the communities sufficient time to re-evaluate the service carriers and chose the right carrierto get this service back on track where it should be, where it has been. Sincerely, Morrison
- Maierle Inc.

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