o 

US.D<pOrtnMntOf Assistant Secrefory : .rU;' ^ | AU'.^iV20O New Jeriey Avenue, SE 

TtonspOflotio n ' > - r^l.vW I'.Wqihington, DC 20590 

Office of the Secneiary 

of Transportation ''• ' ,V 'J 1 \ ,i> ?;' 

OCJ 2 2 2010 

Ms. Diane Marquis Monaghan 

Chief Development Officer 

St. Mary's Health System 

PO Box 7291 

Lewiston, Maine 04243-7291 

Dear Ms. Monaghan: 

Thank you for your letter of August 17 supporting the proposal submitted by the AubumLewiston Municipal Airport for a grant under the Small Community Air Service 

Development Program (Small Community Program). I am pleased to respond to your 

letter on behalf of Secretary LaHood. 

The Small Community Program was established to help smaller communities address air 

service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares and insufficient service. A 

total of $7 million will be available for grant awards in Fiscal Year 2010. Under the 

statute, the Department may use the funds to make a maximum of 40 grant awards each 

year, although no more than four 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 significant flexibility in how the financial assistance 

may be used. 

On July 30, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in 

receiving a grant this year file their applications by August 27. As these grant requests 

are pending before the Department, I am sure you understand that I caimot comment on 

the merits of any particular proposal. I assure you, however, that the Department will 

give full consideration to all proposals that have been properly filed. 
As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2010-0124 as a contact outside the record of this matter. I appreciate your 

interest in this program. If I can provide further information or assistance, please feel 

free to call me. 

Sincerely yours. 

J yj/^usan L, Kurland 

1^ Assistant Secretary for 

Avtation and International Affairs 
SI(l-l(iOX2(i-()(l7 

ST. MARYS 

HEALTH SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT OFFICE 

August 17. 2009 

K) Bon j-rn 

-civiston. Maine fM243-72yi 

Tel. 207-777-8863 

Rix. 207-755 ll«a 

Ray LaHood, Secrclar\ 

U.S. Departnient ofTransporiation 

Aim 7"' Street SW 

Washington. DC 20590 

Dear Secre!ar>- \,aHood. 

I am writing to express our full support lor any opportunity lo bring scliedulcci airline 

passenger service back to llie Auburn-Lcwislon Municipal Airport located in Auburn. Maine. 

We are enthusiastic that the local Airport Board of Directors is pursuing this potential lor our area. 

A significant number of"our senior managemenl, leadership sialf and cfnploNces travel (VcquentK. 

People from all over the United States come to visit area ihroiighotii ihe year on busines.s. vacation and 

medical care. Many arc elite members of frequent travel (7rograni.s i\ ith major l,'S airlines. 

The vast majorily of our travel originates out of Portland. Manchesicr K^V Bostoii ;)nd we 

literally drive by the Auburn-Leu iston Airport on our was to catch iliglus elsewhere. 

With time and gasoline both precious eonmiodities. we would welcome the oppoiiunii_\ 

to give a major portion ofour Hying business to an airline Hying Ironi our local airport. 

Our organization as well as many other employers in our county and surrounding coniniuniiics would 

benefit greatly from a flight service based at the Auburn-Lewiston Airport. 

We look forward to working with the airport on this e.\ciling projecl. 

Sincetclv. 

Dioin; Marquis Monaghan 

Chief Development Officer 

St. Mary's Health System 

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