# e US.0eparfin«ntO f 120 0 Ne w jerse yAvenue , S E Transportatio n Washington , D C 2059 0 Offic e o f th e Secretar y'•'~ ' o f Transportatio n 

### NO V 1 8 200 9 Mr . Rusty n Shere r Presiden t & Executiv e Directo r Quee n Cree k

Chambe r o f Commerc e P . O . Bo x 50 5 Quee n Creek , A Z 8524 2 Dear Mr . Sherer : Than k yo u for you r lette r supportin g th e proposa l submitte db y th e Phoenix-Mes a Gateway Airport

for gran t unde r th e Smal l Community Ai r Servic e Developmen t Program(Smal l Communit y Program) . Th e Smal l Communit y Progra mwa s establishe dt o hel p smalle r communitie s addres s ai r servic e deficiencies , particularl y issue s relate dt o hig h airfare s an dinsufficien t service . Congres s appropriate d$ 8 millio n fo r gran t award s unde r

thi s progra mi n Fiscal Yea

r 2009 . Unde r

th e statute , th e U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n ma y us e th e fund s t o mak e amaximu mo f 4 0 gran t award s eac h year , althoug h n o mor e tha n four may b e t o communitie s i n th e sam e State . In orde r t o provid e communitie s wit h latitud e i n developin g solution s t o thei r ai r servic e problems , th e statut e provide s significan t flexibility i n ho w th e financial assistanc e may b e used . O n Jul y 10 , th e Departmen t issue dan orde r

requestin g that

communitie s intereste di n receivin g agran t

thi s year file thei r application s by Augus t

28 . A s thes e gran t

request s are pendin g befor e th e Department , I amsur e yo u understan dtha t I canno t commen t

o n th e merit s o f

an y particula r

proposal . I assur e you , however , tha t th e Departmen t

wil l giv e full consideratio n t o al l th e proposal s that hav e bee n filed. A s i s ou r norma l practice , I amplacin g acop y o f you r lette r an dthi s respons e i n Docke t OST-2009-014 9 a s acontac t outsid e th e recor do f

thi s matter . I appreciat e you r interes t i n thi s program . Sincerel y yours .
/ \ Aloh aLey Associat e Directo r Smal l Communit y Developmen t Progra m

## JOiGqUOlprbia ,



# Quee n Cree k Chambe r o f Commerc e P.O
. Bo x50 5 Quee n Creek , Arizon a 8524 2 www.queencreekchamber.or q (480)888-170 9 Augus t 20 . 200 9 Ms . Aloh a Ley Associat e Director , X-5 0 U.S
. Departmen t o f Transportatio n 120 0 New Jerse yAve , S E W86-31 0 Washington . D C 2059 0 RE : Smal l Communit yAi rServic e Developmen t Gran t Applicatio n

Docke t DOT-OST-2009-014 9 Phoenix-Mes a Gatewa yAirpor t Dea rMs . Ley . Th e Quee n Cree k

Chambe ro f Commerc e strongl ysupport s th e gran t applicatio n submitte d b yth e Phoenix Mes a Gatewa yAirport , pe rth e requirement s o f Docke t DOT-OST-2009-0149
. A s yo u know , ai rservic e i s vitall yimportan t t o th e airport' s operations ; othe rbusinesse s withi n th e immediat e area ; an d th e regiona l econom yi n general . Currently , al l passenge rservic e t o majo rU.S
. hu b airport s an d beyon d i s provide d ou t o f th e Phoeni xSky-Harbo rAirport , a roughl y5 5 minute . 4 0 mil e driv e fro m Quee n Creek , Arizona . Increasin g passenge rservic e t o large rmarket s departin g fro m th e Phoenix-Mes a Gatewa yAirport afford s thi s communitya muc h greate ropportunit yt o increas e visito ran d busines s passenge rtraffic ; an d attrac t potentia l economi c developmen t t o th e area . I n addition , trave l cost s fo ra potentia l flye rfro m Quee n Cree k wh o depart s fro m Phoenix-Mes a Gatewa yAirport ar e fa rles s i n term s o f fuel , parkin g an d mos t importantly , time . Therefore , w e suppor

t an d encourag e an yeffort(s ) t o strengthe n potentia l service s provide d ou t o f Phoenix-Mes a Gatewa y Airport . Than k yo u fo rconsiderin g thi s gran t applicatio n o n th e behal f Phoenix-Mes a Gatewa yAirport an d th e busines s communityo f Quee n Creek
. Respectfully , Rusji ^ Shere r Presiden t & Executiv e Directo r Quee n Cree k

Chambe ro f Commerc e