### .u.s.Departmentof Transportation Office oftheSecretary ofTransportation

The Honorable Patty Murray United States Senate Washington, DC 20510

,. , ..•**"',~~j,,_. ~-~**  ..**_~,.,.,~** ....**,.,~** ,.,..., .. Dear SenatorMurray: 

### JUL 5 2012

' •.

__.•.**:,:J~** ••• .jll,

...... 1200 NewJersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590

Thank you for your letter supporting the proposal submitted by the Port ofWalla Walla, Walla WallaValley Wine Alliance, Tourism Walla Walla, andthe Walla Walla Chamber ofCommerce for a grant under the U.S. Department ofTransportation's Small Community Air Service Development Program.

The Small Community Air Service DevelopmentProgram was establishedto help smaller communities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares or insufficient service. Underthe statute, the Department may make a maximum of40 grant awards each year, although no more than 4 awards may be to communities inthe same State. In order to provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility inthe types ofprojects that can be funded.

OnMay 15, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested inreceiving a grant this year file their applications by June 11. As these grant requests are pending before the Department, I cannot comment onthe merits ofany particular proposal. I assure youthat the Department will give full and fair considerationto all proposals that have beenproperly filed.

As is ournormal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in Docket DOT-OST-2012-0069 as a contact outside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate your interest in this program.

Sincerely yours,

AlohaLey Associate Director Small Community ProgramMs. Aloha Ley Associate Director, Small Community Program Office ofAviation Analysis US Department ofTransportation 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE W86-3l0 Washington, DC 20590

Dear Associate Director Ley,

I am \vrtting in support for the combined application by the Port ofWalla Walla, Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance, Tourism Walla Walla, and the Walla Walla Chamber ofCornmerce fbr the Small Community Air Service Development grantprogram prop{)Sal. The $250,000 request would be coupled with a comtmmity raised $50,000 to ensure continued passenger growth on inbound and outbound Alaska Airlines (Hmizon Air) flights to the Walla Walla Regional Airport (ALW).
Walla WailaRegional Airport is served, on average, by two inbound and two outbound Alaska Airlines flights per day. In 2011, the total hoardings at ALWin 2011 totaled 32,127. Passenger numbers and load factors the first quarter 2012 indicate that total hoardings for 2012 may surpass 2011 levels. Even with this, however, load factors and not yet sufficiently high enough to long·term continued fi:om Airlines ALW's only scheduled service.
The Walla Walla is ofWalla Walla and in Northeastern Oregon <md**Southeastern~** including Milton and Pendleton. Oregon. in number the nurnber to the WallaWalla area has·increased, and the Walla Walla Ail-p01t Coalition believes that very positive tourism trends and assorted outbound tt·avel opportunities, when combined with a sn·otlg local marketing effort, can continue this growth in passenger boardings. This proposal is an excellent example public private partnership which will ensu!'e the maintenance jobs and even Ute possibility offurtheredjob growth as the current Hight schedule ts maintained and, potentially, expanded at ALW.
Thank you for your consideration ofthe Port ofWalla Walla's application to the Small Community Air Service Dtwelopment Program. Ifyou have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my Seattle office at (206)