Pettiford , Mari e (OST )

From : Sent : To : Cc : Subject : Attachments : Marti n Mo e [cordovachamber@ak.net ] Thursday , Januar y13 , 201 1 4:1 6 P M LaHood , Ray(OST ) Kurland , Susa n (OST) ; Devany , Denni s (OST) ; Sean.parnell@alaska.gov ; Marc.luiken@alaska.gov-commissione r EA S Suppor t image001.jp g 

## Cordov aChambe r

of Commerc e P.O . Bo x 9 9 • Firs i Stree t Cordova . Alask a 99574 (907)424-726 0 • Fa

x(907 ) 424-725 9 www.cordovachamber.co m CORDOV A- ALASKA' S HIDDE N TREASUR E Januar y13 , 201 1 Th e Honorabl e Ra

yLalHood Secretar y U.S . Departmen t of Transportatio n 120 0 Ne wJerseyAvenue . S.E . Washington , D.C . 2059 0 ^..,c«»WCeJe6 ^

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o n C O C D ^ Re : Continuatio n o f Alask a Airlines ' Essentia l Ai rSen^ic e at Cordova . Gustavus . Petersburg . Wranaell . an d Yakutat . Alaska . Docke t OST-1998-489 9 Dea rSecretar

yLaHood : Thi s lette ri s t o expres s ou rstron g suppor t fo rth e selectio n of Alask a Airline s t o continu e t o provid e essentia l ai rsen/ic e t o ou rcommunity . Th e je t servic e Alask a currentl yprovide s i s critica l fo rth e continue d acces s an d economi cwel l bein g o f Cordov a a s wel l a s tha t o f thi s entir e regio n o f th e state . A s a landlocke d rura l community , Cordova relie s heavil yo n ai rtranspor t t o provid e resident s an d visitor s alik e wit h acces s t o an d fro m th e 'outsid e world. " Alaska' s cun'en t patter n o f servic e - usin g mode m je t aircraft - meet s severa l crucia l need s tha t woul d b e difficult , i f not impossible , t o mee t wit h an yothe rtyp e o f servic e o raircraft type : • Alaska' s servic e connect s Cordov a passengers t o on e o rmore majo rcommunitie s o f interest , wit h dail y single-plan e servic e t o Anchorage . Juneau , Ketchika n o rSeattle . Fro m thes e hubs , ou rcommunit yca n acces s th e airline' s extensiv e rout e syste m an d benefi t fro m it s far-reachin g marketin g relationships . Ou r visito rindustr

yrelie s o n thes e connection s t o brin g peopl e here . • Alaska' s sen/ic e provide s essentia l carg o (freigh t an d mall ) capacityrequire d t o mee t man yof ou r community' s dail ynecessities . I n addition , Alask a annuall ycarrie s approximatel y1,500,00 0 pound s of fis h fro m Cordov

a t o th e marketplace s o f th e world - providin g a n irreplaceabl e lin k i n ou rcommercia l fishing economy . Alaska ha s demonstrate d it s commitmen t t o meet th e airfreigh t need s o f th e communitie s i n th e stat e b yinvestin g i n th e first-ever fleet of 737-40 0 combinatio n aircraft . Thes e more mode m 737 s replace d th e olde r737-20 0 comb i aircraf t i n Alaska' s fleet an d provid e improve d access , capacityan d comfor t fo r airlin e passenger

s i n Southeas t Alaska .• Alaska' s investmen t i n require d navigatio n perfonDance (RNP ) flight technolog yallow s acces s t o airport s i n

Southeas t Alaska durin g period s o f inclemen t weather , whic h enhance s th e reliabilityo f th e airiine' s servic e t o ou rcommunity . I n sum , Alaska' s je t servic e i s critica l t o th e economi can d socia l wel l bein g of ou r community . Fo rthes e reasons , w e respectfull yurg e DOTt o selec t Alaska Airline s t o continu e t o provid e essentia l ai r sen/ic e t o Southeast Alaska , a s th e airiln e ha s successfull ydon e fo rmor e tha n thirt yyears . Sincerely , Marti n H . Moe , Executiv e Directo r cc : Susa n Kuriand , Assistan t Secretar yfo rAviatio n an d Internationa l Affair s Denni s DeVany , Chief , EA S an d Domesti cAnalysi s Th e Honorabl e Sea n Parnell , Governor , Stat e of Alaska Mar cALuiken , Commissioner , Alaska Stat e Departmen t of Transportatio n an d Publi cFacilitie s