U.S. Department of

Transportation

Office of the Secretary

Of Transportation

1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E.

Washington, DC 20590

MAY 7 2014

The Honorable Angus S. King, Jr.

United States Senate

Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator King:

Thank you for your March 27 letter regarding Essential Air Service (EAS) at Presque Isle, and

the carrier selection case that is currently being processed for a new contract to begin July 1,

2014.

In your letter, you state the Peninsula Airways, Inc. (PenAir) submitted a proposal to continue

serving Presque Isle, and the carrier has announced its intention to continue serving Bar Harbor,

without subsidy should it be awarded EAS contracts to serve Presque Isle and Plattsburgh, New

York. Further, you ask that the Department give PenAir's proposal every appropriate

consideration.

PenAir was the only carrier to respond to the Department's solicitation for EAS for a new

contract period, and there are two options for Presque Isle. The Department is currently

reviewing PenAir's proposal and service options thoroughly. We solicited comments from the

communities involved and we are also reviewing those. We expect to issue an Order on this

matter in the weeks ahead.

Thank you for interest in the EAS program and the communities it serves in Maine.

As is our standard practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and my response in Docket

DOT-OST-2000-8012. You may track the progress of this case and view the publicly available

documents filed in the docket by accessing the Federal Docket Management System at

www.regulations.gov and searching for "DOT-OST-2000-8012."

Sincerely,

Kevin Schlemmer

Chief, Essential Air Service & Domestic Analysis
ANGUS S. KING, JR.

MAINE

359 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING

(202) 224-5344

Website: http://www,King.Senate.gov tinitrd

Mr. Kevin Schlemmer

Chief, Essential Air Service Program

U.S. Department of Transportation

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20590

Dear Mr. Schlemmer:

COMMITIEES:

ARMED SERVICES

BUDGET

)NTELLIGENCE

RULES AND ADMINISTRATION tares ~rnatr

I understand that Peninsula Airways, Inc. (Pe I ir) has submitted a proposal in response to a

Request for Proposal (RFP) for Essential Air ervice (EAS) flights between Presque Isle, Maine,

and Boston, Massachusetts.

PenAir is a regional airline that flies nearly 4 flights per week in the eastern United States. The

company, which was founded in 1955, has prl vided reliable air service to Presque Isle and Bar

Harbor since soon after it won an Essential A r Service (EAS) contract to serve those

communities in early 2012. I am aware that enAir has announced its intention to continue

Presque Isle and Plattsburg, New York.

I recognize that this is a competitive RFP an simply request that you give PenAir's proposal

every appropriate consideration in accordancl with all applicable laws and regulations. Also, I

ask that you please keep me informed of the tatus of this process. If you have any questions or

concerns, please contact Adam Lachman or lex Porter in my office at (202) 224-5344.

AUGUSTA

4 Gabriel Drive, Suite Fl

Augusta, ME 04330

(207) 622-8292

ANC

I

&USS lNG, JR. ---

Unit d States Senator

REsaUE ISLE

169 Ac demy Street, Suite A

preSfue Isle, ME 04769

( 07)764-5124

In Maine c lt tcll-free 1-800-432-1599 ponr on Recycled Paper

SCARBOROUGH

383 US Route 1, Suite 1C

Scarborough, ME 04074

(207) 883-1588