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. /^gW^ . TH E SECRET7\R Y O F TRANSPORTATIO N -:;jSJ!-p|]J.Q F ^^^Wi^ ~ WASHINGTON , D.C . 2059 0 :-f^^^llAlK/i; ! Septembe r

09 , 201 1 i - r j

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, .- . _, ^

Th e Honorabl e Ka

y Baile y Hutchiso n United State s Senate Washington , D C 2051 0 Dea r Senator Hutchison : Than k you fo r your lette r supportin g the proposa

l submitte d b y th e Abilen e Regiona l Airpor t fo r agran t unde r th e Smal l Communit

y Air Sen'ic e Developmen

t Program . The Small Communit

y Progra mwa s establishe d t

o hel p smaller communitie s addres s ai r

servic e deficiencies , particularl y issue s relate d to hig h airfare s an

d insufficient

service . Unde

r th e statute , the U.S . Department o f Transportatio n ma

y mak e amaximu mo f

4 0 gran t award s each year , althoug h n o more tha n 4 ma y b e to communitie s in th e same State . I n order t o provid e communitie s wit

h latitud e in developin g solution s t o thei r air servic e deficiencies , the statute allow s significan

t flexibilit y i n ho w th e financial assistanc e ma y b e used . O n Jul y 1 , th e Department

issue d a n orde r requestin g tha

t communitie s intereste d i n receivin g a gran t thi s yea r file thei r application s b

y Augus t 2 . A s thes e grant

request s ar e pendin g befor e th e Department , 1 a

msure yo u understan d tha t I canno t commen t o n th e merit s o f

an y particula

r proposal . 1 ca

n assure you , however , tha t the Departmen

t will giv e ful

l consideratio n t o al l proposal s tha

t hav e bee n properl y filed. A s i s ou r norma l practice , I a

mplacin g acopy o f

you r lette r an d thi s respons e in Docket DOT-OST-20 1 i -011 9 a s acontac t outsid e tluf^or d o f

thi s matter . (appreciat e your interes t i n thi s program . I

f 1 ca n provid e furUjlwimoflmi^ n o r assistance , pleas e feeyfra

b to cal l me .S I 0-110801-02 2

KA Y BAILE Y HUTCHISO N COMWITOES :

'^^f ^ APPROfHIATION S COMMERCE . SCIEMCE . AN D reANSCOHTAriON 

# IHnitt d State s Senat e

WASHINGTON , D C 205!0-430 4 RULE S AN D ADMtf4!STfiATtO N

Jul y 20,20 1 Th e Honorabl e Ra y LaHoo d Secretar y U.S . Departmen

t of Transportatio

n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S.E . Washington , D.C . 2059 0 Dea r Secretar y LaHood : Th e Abilen e Regional Airpor t ha s notifie d m

e tha t i t ha s submitte d a

n applicatio n t o b e considere d fo

r th e Smal l Communit

y Air Servic e Development

Grant . I a

mplease d to suppor t th e application . I a mrequestin g th e Departmen t o f Transportatio n to carefull y conside r th e merit s o f th e grant proposal an d ensur e i t

receive s afai

r and thoroug h revie w durin g tli e evaluatio n process . Abilen e Regiona l Airpor t ha s informe d m e o f

th e positiv e impac t

thi s gran t wil l hav e i n th e communit y b y creatin g jobs , increasin g competitio n whic h woul d benefi t consumers , an d improvin g th e transportatio n infrastructure i n th e region . Shoul d yo u hav e any question s regardin g th e grant application , I hop e yo

u wil l no t hesitate t o contac t

Luca s Szab o in m

y offic e fo r additional information . Sincerely .

KBH/l s

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