U.S. Department of Transportation Office ofthe Secretary OfTransportation

The Honorable Michael F. Bennet United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Bennet: . . . i**~** :" '
. 1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E. Washington, DC 20590

Thank you for your letter supporting the application submitted bythe City and County of Gunnison in Colorado for a grant under the U.S. Department ofTransportation'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. Underthe statute, the Department may make a maximum of40 grant awards each year, although no more than four awards maybeto communities inthe same State. In order to provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility inthe types ofprojects that can be funded. OnJune 24, the Department issued an order setting a deadline ofJuly 26 for applications. As these grant requests are pending before the Department, I cannot comment onthe merits ofany particularproposal. I assure youthatthe Department will give full and fair considerationto all proposalsthathave beenproperly filed. As is our standard practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in Docket DOT-OST-2013-0120 as a contact outside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate your interest in this program. Sincerely yours,MICHAEL F. BENNET COLORADO

COMMIITEES: AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY FINANCE HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, AND PENSIONS

Ms. Brooke Chapman Associate Director 

# <llnitrd**~tatrs ~rnatr**  WASHINGTON, DC 20510-0609
July 18, 2013

Small Community Air Service Development Program U.S. Department ofTransportation gth Floor, Room W86-307 1200 NewJersey Avenue, SE Washington, D.C. 20590
RE: City and County ofGunnison Grant Application, DOT-OST-2013-0120 Dear Ms. Chapman: WASHINGTON, DC: 458 RuSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20510 (2021 224-5852 COLORADO: 1127 SHERMAN STREET SUITE 150 DENVER, CO 80203-2398 (303) 455--7600 http://www.bennet.senate.gov

I am writing to support a recent grant application submitted by the City and County ofGunnison in Colorado for a 2013 Small Community Air Service Development (SCASD) Grant withthe U.S. Department ofTransportation. The airport's application proposes funding to support new summer season air service from Gunnison to markets in Texas beginning in 2014. Air transportation is critical to the economic health and growth ofrural Colorado. This is particularly true for our mountain resort communities such as the City ofGunnison and Crested Butte in Gunnison County. Gunnison has suffered a dramatic loss ofover one third ofits airline service inthe pastthree years. The Gunnison SCASD grant proposal would assist the community inrestoring some ofthis lost air service which is critical to the annual tourism and recreational economy in this region ofColorado. I encourage you to give the Gunnison grant application every appropriate consideration consistent with all applicable lavvs and regulations. Thank you for your consideration, and please notify my office ofany funds awarded. Sincerely, 

# AP/.# Michael F. Bennet United States Senator

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