# I 

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'^^^J^'-*' ' TH E SECRETARY O F TRANSPORTATIO N WASHINGTON . D.C . 2059 0 Septembe r

09 , 201 1 V'RTMEN T O F 'J3P0RTATI0 N •:E - ? 8 A ^ : 3 0

Th e Honorabl e Car

l Levi n United State s Senat

e Washington , D C 2051 0 Dea r Senator Levin : Than k you fo r your lette r supportin g tli e proposa

l submitte d by th e Sawyer

Internationa

l Airpor t fo r agran t under th e Smal l Communit

y Ai r Servic e Developmen

t Program . The Smal l Communit

y Progra mwa s establishe d to hel

p smaller communitie s addres s air

servic e deficiencies , particularl y issue s relate d to high airfare s an d insufficient

service . Unde

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

y mak e amaximumo f

4 0 grant award s each year , althoug h n o more tha n 4 ma y b e t o communitie s i

n the sam e State . I n orde r t o provid e communitie s wit

h latitud e i

n developin g solution s t

o their ai r ser\'ic e deficiencies , th e statute allow s significan

t flexibility i

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

issue da n order 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 gra

mrequest s ar e pendin g befor e the Department , I a

msure yo u understan d tha t 1 canno t commen t on th e merit s o f

an y particula

r proposal . I ca

n assure you , however , tha t the Depanment

will giv e ful

l consideratio n to 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 and thi s respons e in Docke t DOT-OST-2011-011 9 a s acontac t outsid e thilf^cor

d o f thi s matter . I appreci ^ you r interes t i n thi s program . I f

I can provid e furthgHty^Kn^io n o r assistance , pleas e feelJfe/t o cal l me .

### SlO-110823-00 5

' CAR L LEVI N ABMEOSIfiVflCE S ""^•^^ ^

60ViHNM£NTALAFF«R S Russ£uS£H*n»f«SBo,i«N O SMA U BUSINES S WASMiWtroN . D C 20610-320 2 (^l' % Mii*.- , J Ol ^ *.im4.^ ^

£2r<*M/««- » INTEUIGENC E 1202 ) 224-622 1 

# lanitE d State s Senat e WASHINGTON , D C 20510-220 2 Augus t 3,201 1 Th e Honorabl e Raymon dLaHood , Secretar y U.S . Department

o f Transportatio n 1200 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S E Washington , D.C . 2059 0 Dea r Secretar y LaHood : I a mwritin g to expres s m

y support fo r th e Smal l Communit

y Ai r Servic e Developmen t

Program Grant applicatio n submitte dby Sawyer International Airport . Locate di n Marquett e County , i n Michigan' s rural Upper Peninsula , Sawye r

International Airpor

t i s requestin g fiinds t o establis h direc t ai r servic e betwee n Marquett e an d Lansing . Offerin g ai r servic e option s t o rural commimitie s in th e Upper Peninsul aregio n an d tlwoughou t th e countr

y i s vita l t o economi c development , conunerc e and tourism . Presently , roa d trave l fro mth e regio n t o Lansin g i s time-consumin g an dmor e treacherou s t o traveler s durin g th e lon g winte r months . Thi s planne drout e wil l expedit e trave l t o our capita l cit y an d enhanc e economi c developmen t in ou r state . I suppor

t th e effort s o f

Sawyer International Airpor

t t o expan d ai r

servic e betwee n Marquette andLansing . I trus t you wil l giv e thi s applicatio n ever y consideratio n for

funding . I woul d lik e t o b e informe d a s t o th e timetabl e fo

r processin g thes e application s an d o f th e dispositio n o f

thi s applicatio n i n particular . Pleas e addres s you r respons e t o m

y Escanab aoffic e a

t th e addres s an d telephon e number show n below . Sincerely , 

## ^^vv w Car l Levi n CL/e r

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