u.s. Department of

Transportation

Office of the Secretary

Of Transportation

The Honorable Pete P. Gallego

United States House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20515

Dear Congressman Gallego:

o 12' 51200 New Jersey Ave., 5.e.

JUl 0 2 2odlll) SEP I b I 'Washington, DC20590

Thank you for your letter supporting the proposal submitted by the City of Del Rio for a grant

underthe U.S. Department of Transportation's Small Community Air Service Development

Program.

The Small Community Air Service Development Program was established to help smaller

communities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares or

insufficient service. Under the statute, the Department may make a maximum ,of 40 grant

awards each year, although no more than 4 awards 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 provides flexibility in the types of projects that can be funded.

On June 24, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in receiving a

grant this year file their applications by July 26. As these grant requests are pending before the

Department, I cannot comment on the merits of any particular proposal. I assure you that the

Department will give full and fair 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-2013-0l20 as a contact outside the record of this matter. I appreciate your interest in

this program. ,

Sincerely yours,

Br eChapman

Associate Director

Small Community Air Service
, .

PETE P. GALLEGO

23RD DISTRICT, TexAs

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June 20, 2013

Brooke Chapman, Associate Director

Small Community Air Service Development

Office of Aviation Analysis

U.S. Department of Transportation

1200New Jersey Ave., SE

Washington, DC 20590

Room W86-307

Dear Mrs. Chapman :

431 CANNON HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING

WASHINGTON, DC 20515

(202) 225--4511

I write to request favorable consideration of a Small Community Air Service Development

(SCASD) Grant application put forward by the City of Del Rio. The Queen City of the Rio

Grande, Del Rio is a vibrant military community with a diversified economy based on business

and commerce, tourism, and agriculture.

As you know, I have been a strong supporter of small regional airports for a long time. As a

state legislator, I worked to increase funding for improvement of regional airports and ensure

that smaller regional airports were not forgotten or left behind. Del Rio's was one such airport.

Over time, several grants allowed Del Rio both to build a modem air terminal and lengthen

runways.

Thanks to local efforts and your support, Del Rio became the only border community between

Laredo and El Paso (some 850 miles) to offer passenger service. The recent loss of such air

service has negatively impacted community residents. From government employees at

Laughlin Air Force Base to those engaged in the international trade sector to the service

industries relying on tourism - all have now lost a vital and convenient air link to the rest of

Texas.

Del Rio has over 35,000 residents. It has worked to develop a partnership with numerous

entities (both governmental, non-governmental and private) that include international, regional,

and local support for a route that allows service from Del Rio International Airport (DRT)to

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). From DFW, our area's residents and growing

businesses will have access to the world.

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
, .

-

To: Brooke Chapman, Associate Director

Re: Del Rio, TXSmall Community Air Service Development (SCASD)Grant

June 20, 2013

Page 2

Please know that I strongly support the City of Del Rio's application for Small Community Air

Service Development Grant. I would much appreciate any consideration their application can

be given. In the event you have questions or concerns about my request, please feel free to

contact me or Michael Pacheco in my Washington, D.C., office. Michael can be reached at

202.225.4511or Michael.Pacheco@maiI.house.gov .

Sincerely,

Pete P. Gallego

Member of Congress

PPG/mp