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The Honorable Mark Udall 

United States Senate 

Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Senator UdaJl: 

Thank you for your letter addressed to Associate Director Aloha Ley, supporting the 

proposal submitted by the Telluride Montrose Regional Air Organization for a grant 

under the Small Community Air Service Development Program (Small Community 

Program). 

The Small Conmiunity 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 fiinds 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 commimities 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 cannot 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. 

Todd Homan 

Director, Office of Aviation Analysis 
United States Senate 

August 25, 2010 

Ms. Aloha Ley 

Associate Director. Small Community Air Service Development Program 

Office of Aviation Analysis 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave SE 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Dear Ms. Ley, 

I am pleased to write this leiTerof support on behalf of the Telluride Montrose Regional Air Organization 

(TMRAO), which is working to obtain funding through the Department of Transportation's Small 

Community Air Service Development Program. TMRAO is partnering with the Telluride Regional 

Airport, Marketing Telluride Inc., the town of Telluride, the town of Mountain Village, and San Miguel 

County to improve outbound flight service from Telluride. 

With the important stan-up funds received through this grant, TMRAO and its partners hope to increase 

available seats to meet market demand for morning outbound flights from Telluride. Also, they hope 

such funds will be a springboard for bringing a second carrier service to Telluride during the summer 

months to bolster competition. The community hopes that increasing competition in this market will lead 

to a reduction in air fares, which currently are among the highest in the nation. Due to its unique 

geography, Telluride lies in a relatively isolated area of our state, making the economic activity generated 

by its airport critical to the community's local economy and economic development The additional 

cnplancments resulting from this grant funding would be a much needed boon to Telluride and the 

surrounding region. 

T ask that you give the Telluride Montrose Regional Air Organization's application ever>' appropriate 

consideration consistent with all applicable laws and regulations. 

Sincerely, 

)V^^\J4JS ^ 

Mark Udall 

United States Senator 

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