y^^. #1 I THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590 

September 09, 2011 

::ARTMENTOr 

•IS^^ORWION 

: J " O^ERATJONS 

2 ^ 

The Honorable Olympia J. Snowe 

United States Senate 

Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Senator Snowe: 

Thank you for your letter supporting the proposal submitted by the Aubum-Lewiston Mimicipal 

Airport for a grant under the Small Community Air Service Development Program. 

The Small Community Program was established to help smaller communities address air service 

deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares and insufficient service. Under the 

statute, the U.S. Department of Transportation may make a maximum of 40 grant awards each 

year, although no more than 4 may be to communities in the same State. In order to provide 

communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service deficiencies, the statute 

allows significant flexibility in how the financial assistance may be used. 

On July 1, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in receiving a 

gnmt this year file their applications by August 2. As these grant requests are pending before the 

Department, I am sure you understand that 1 cannot comment on the merits of any particular 

proposal. I can 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-2011 -0119 as a contact outside the igcord of this matter. 1 appreciate your interest in 

this program. If I can provide furthei/ftformaMn or assistance, please feel fi*k to call me. 
OLYMPIA J. SNOWE 

MAINE 

154 RusscLi. SENATE OFFICE BuiLoiNa 

(2021224-5344 

Wob Site: litlp.'/IGnoV'C.scnato.gav 

DEPUTY WHIP Snitcd ^mtes Senate 

WASHINGTON, DC 20510-1903 

July 18,2011 

SlO-110803-015 

COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND 

TRANSPORTATION 

OrcAMS, ATMOGPtitnt, Fisncntcs AND 

CoAsr GUARD SuocoMMmcc 

FINANCE 

INTELLIGENCE 

RANKING MEMBER, SMALL BUSINESS 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 7111 Street, SW 

Washington, DC 20590 

Dear Mr. LaHood, 

I am writing to express my strong support for the application submitted by the AubumLewiston Municipal Airport to the United States Department of Transportation's Office of 

Aviation Analysis for ftmding under its Small Community Air Service Development (SCSAD) 

program. 

Consistent with the SCASD program's mission to bring about additional air service, the 

Aubum-Lewiston Municipal Airport seeks a partner in the Department of Transportation to 

restore adequate passenger air service to the central Maine region for the first time in over 20 

years. Both market research and abundant support firom the business community demonstrates 

that there appears to be sufficient demand and market size to link the Aubum-Lewiston 

catchment area to the national air transportation system. The Airport seeks to attract a 

commercial air carrier for regularly scheduled direct flights to Boston, a concept that is 

wholeheartedly endorsed by the region and includes over $1.5 million in investment fi-om the 

twin cities. Clearly, the Aubum-Lewiston area lacks adequate passenger air service for business 

travelers, and both the community and region believe that local air service is a vital component 

of its overall economic and commimity development mix. Dependable SCSAD is a key factor in 

both job growth and business development in Androscoggin County. It is with this in mind that 

I lend my support to this proposal. 

Thank you for your time and effort on behalf of the Aubum-Lewiston Municipal Airport. 

I urge your most careful consideration of this application, subject to all applicable laws and 

regulations, and ask that you please keep me informed of the status of the review process. In 

addition to notifying my DC staff, please notify Mark Kontio of my Bangor staff at (207)945-

0432 or by e-mail at mark_kontio@snowe.senate,gov when a final determination has been made. 

OLYM 

United 

J." SNOWE' 

ates Senator 

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