### THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, DC 20590

The Honorable Mark Kirk United States Senate Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Kirk: September 19, 2014

Thank you for your letter supporting the application submitted by Peoria lntemational Airport for 

### agrant under the U.S. Department ofTransportation's Small Community Air Service Developmet!t Program.
The Small Community Air Service Development Program was established to help smaller communities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares and insufficient service. Under the statute, the Department may make a maximum of40 grant awards each year, although no more than four may he to communities in the same State. To provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility in the types ofair service development projects that 

### can be funded.
On June 30, the Department issued an order setting a deadline ofJuly 31 for applications. As these grant requests are pending before the Department, I cannot comment on the merits ofany particularproposal. I assure you, however, that the Department will give full and fair consideration to ali proposals that have been properly filed.


### As is our standard practice, 

### I am placing 

### a copy ofyour letter and this response in Docket DOT-OST-2014-0 113 as a contact outside the record 

### ofthis matter. I appreciate your i.nterest in this program.

Anthony R. Foxx

## TheHonorable Anthony Foxx ·Secretary July 29, 2Ql4



### Uf)itect States Department ofTransportation WestBuilding-1200NewJersey Avenue; S.E. Washington D.C. 205.90
DearSecretary Foxx: COM.I\IliHEES; Af'PflOPfliATfONS flANKING, HOUSING & I,JRBAN AFFAIRS HEALW, LA!90R & PENSIONS AGING



### I 

### writein support ofPeoria International Airport's (PIA) applicationto theDepartmentof Transportation (DOT)fortheSmall Cormnunity 

### Air Service DevelopmentPr:ogram(SCASDP}. Expanding air services inPeoria is a critical for the regional development and economic coq1petitiveness. ofCentral Illinois. 

### As part of

### the strategy to furtberimptove air**operations~J** 

### atn encouraged the PIA

### has identified six prospective hubs that have 

### :the potential to be serviced by three**ofPeoria~s** 

### four existingair service providers, inchtdihg American Airlinesto .Philadelphia (PHL) or Charlotte**(CLT)~** 

### United Airlines to Houston (IAH) 

### orNewark (EWR}

### and Deltato LaGuardia (LGA) or I<e1llledy (JFK) 

### inN:ew York. Enhancing direct connectionstointernational gateways would streng1;hent11e airport's ability to>provide Safe and qualitytransportation services for local businesses and .travelers.
I 

### understand thatthe airport is requesting SCASDP support to further develop and improve its 

### air serviceprograms and ,is 

### c:ommitted to providing a 

### 50/50 match. PIA is 

### a critical transportation linkfor some of Illinois' biggest employers and enhancing 

### air services to and from Peoria will be key for future economic growth and 

### boostingjob creationthroughoutthe region. I supportPeoria International Airport's efforts and urge the DOT

### to give the PIA application fair and full consideration.**Sincerely~**



### Mark Kirk U.S. Senator

CC: Mr. Gene**Olson~** 

### Director ofAirports? Metropolitan Airport Authority ofPeoria