# .. U.S. Department of Transportation Office of the Secretary Of Transportation



### ..The HonorableMaria Cantwell-

- United States Senate Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Cantwell: 

## JUL 62012 1200 New Jersey·Ave., S.E. Washington, DC 20590



### Thank you for your letter supporting the proposal submitted by the Port ofWalla Walla, the

· Walla Walla Valley Wine'Alliance, Tourism Walla Walla, and the Walla Walla**CP,~berof**



### Commerce for a grant under the U.S. Department ofTransportation'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 of40 grant awards each year, although no more than 4 awards may be to communities in the same State. ln order.to provide communities with latitude in d<;veloping solutions to**the~r** 

### air service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility in the types ofprojects that can be funded.
On May 15, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in receiving a grant this year file their applications by June 11. As these grant requests are pending before the Department, I cannot comment on the merits ofany particular proposal. I assure ytm 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 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,·

# ~~

. . 

### Aloha Ley Associate Director Small Community ProgramMARIA CANTWELL WASHINGTON COMMITTEES: COMMERCE. SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION

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## -·WASHir'tGTON, DC 20510-4705

June 8, 2012

Ms. Aloha Ley Associate Director, Small Community Program Office ofAviation Analysis .· · ·· US Department ofTransportation 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE**W86~31** 0 Washington, DC 20590 

## ....

RE: Walla Walla Regional Airport; FY 12 Small Community Air Service Development Program

Dear Associate Director Ley, ENERGY AND NATURAL**~·** , RE.SOVRCES FINANCE. INDIAN AFFAIRS SMALL BUSINESS

I am writing to express my support for the Small Community Air Service Development Program grant application submitted by the Port ofWalla Walla, the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance, Tourism Walla Walla, and the Walla Walla Chamber ofCommerce. The application will help implement a new Walla Walla Airport Coalition Marketing Plan designed to ensure continued passenger growth on inbound and outbound Alaska Airlines (Horizon Air) flights to Walla Walla Regional Airport (ALW). A federal commitment will be matched with $50,000 in local funds. Typically, Walla Walla Regional Airport is served by two inbound and two outbound Alaska Airlines flights per day, with more than 32,000 tot.al boardings in 2011. Passenger numbers and load factors in the first quarter of 2012 indicate that total boardings for20 12 rnay surpass 2011 levels. That said, load. factors are not yet sufficiently high to ensure long-term continued service from Alaska Airlines- the only scheduled carrier currently flying into and out ofALW. Alaska Airlines has indicated that unless load factors are raised, it will be forced to seriously consider discontinuing scheduled service to ALW.
Walla**Walla~** Washington is geographically located near the cities ofMilton-Freewater and Pendleton, Oregon, two additional population centers that are currently underserved by scheduled aviation

.. service. ALW is the closest airport to both ofthese cities and a federal investment designed to enhance air service at ALW, such as that which would be provided by a successfhl award from the Small Community Air Service Development Program, will benefit residents ofboth northeast Oregon and southeast Washington.

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## ~.:.This' project 

## propdsal' is:·ah'excellent example

## ofpubli~**privat~** partnersh'ip and will help ensure the.

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-- maintenance ofexistingjobs and the possibility offurtherjob.growth as scheduled aviation service is

maintained and, over time, hopefully expanded further at Walla Walla Regional Airport.

I ask you give this application your fullest consideration.



### Sincerely,

## ~**~--** -

# ~~~ Maria Cantwell United States Senator



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