US.Depatlllil&ntof · Transportation OffiCeoftheSecretary ofTransportation

The Honorable Jeffrey A. Merkley United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear SenatorMerkley: 

## JUL2 7

## 2012 1200 NewJersey Avenue, SE Washington; DC 20590

Thank you for your letter supporting the proposal submitted by Redmond Municipal Airport 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 4 awards may be to communities inthe same State. In orderto provide communities with. latitude in developing solutions to their air service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility in the types ofprojects that can be funded. OnMay 15, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested inreceiving a grant this yearfile their applications by June 11. As these grant requests are pending before the Department, I cannot comment onthe merits ofany particularproposal. I assure youthat the Department will give full and fair considerationto all proposals that have beenproperly filed. As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response inDocket DOT-OST-2012-0069 as a contact outside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate your interest in this program. Sincerely yours,

Aloha Ley Associate Director Small Community ProgramJEFF MERKLEY OREGON COMMITIEES: ENVIRONMENT AND

.

·PUBLIC WORKS 

# <llnitfd**~tatcs ~cnatc**  HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABQR, AND PENSIONS WASHINGTON, DC 20510 BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS June 28, 2012 AlohaLey Associate Director, Small Community Program Office ofAviation Analysis US Department ofTransportation 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE W86-310 Washington, DC 20590 Subject: Small Community Air Service Development Program Grant Application Docket DOT-OST-2012-0069 City ofRedmond, OR

- Redmond Municipal Airport Dear Associate Director Ley: I am writing to express my support**for.t~e** C,:ity ofRedmond's application for the Small Community Air Service Development.Program under the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of2012 from the United States Department ofTransportation. The Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM) is applying for the grant to reinstate air service to Southern California. BUDGET

Since 1940, RDM has. been servicing passengers in the Central Oregon area. Today, RDM is the fourth largest commercial airport in Oregon, serving all ofCentral Oregon and providing fortysix daily flights. From 2006 to 2010, Horizon Air offered a direct**~ight.** from RDM to Los Angeles InternationalAirport (LAX). The previous service was· extremely successful, offering a daily flight to LAX, with approximately 20,000 passenger enplanements annually, and up to 80% ·passengerload factors. Thi.s grant**~ould** help reinstate direct service between RDM and LAX.

The proposed Southern California service will benefit multiple remote Central Oregon communities and have far**reachin~** benefits, as RDf\:1 provides extensive corporate and business travel. With these grant funds, significant

### improvenl~nt~ for the traveling public will be implemented. Given the City ofRedmond's outstanding record ofsuccess with federal grants to improve air service, I encourage the Department ofTransportationto consider and support this worthwhile project.

·- Thank you for your full and fair review ofthe City ofRedmond's grant application. Should you have any further questions, please contact Susanna Julber in myBend office at 541-318-1298.

: .**~**

313 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20510 (202)224.,-3753 FAX(202)228-3997

# Sincere!~**A-.·~** Jeffrey A. Merkley United States Senator 121 S.W. SALMON STREET SUITE 1400 PORTLAND, OR 97204 (503) 326-3386 FAX(503)326-2900