>. RTL^ENT OF 

.^S^ORTATIO^ 

;(ET OPERATIONS /,^^ % THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION -r v^n-nTM:; 

\ 9 ^§X WASHINGTON. D.C. 20590 

September 09, 2011 

The Honorable Michele Bachmann 

U.S. House of Representatives 

Washington, DC 20515 

Dear Congresswoman Bachmann: 

Thank you for your letter supporting the proposal submitted by the St. Cloud Regional Airport 

for a grant under the Small Community .Air Sei-vice Development Program. 

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

deficiencies, particularly issues related lo 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 lo 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 u.sed. 

On July 1. the DeparUnent issued an order requesting that communities interested in receiving a 

grant this yem- file their applications by August 2, As these grant requests are pending before the 

Department, I am sure you understand that I 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, 1 am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2011-0! 19 as a contact outside ih^^Qkord of this matter. I appreciate your interest in 

this program. If 1 can provide further inforofeti/n or assistance, please feelif^to call me. 
SI (I-1 I0S26-004 

Letters of Support 

MtCHKlE BACHMANN 

i-.-fl••-,.? Ml-*-•-.>,» 

Coii2res(0 of tin ©iitttb ^tntesf 

jg^ousr D( JKcprtBtntattbr^ 

jaiasllUiBton. DC 20515-230& 

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• S ^ -'WW 

April 29.201! 

The Honorable Ray Laltoixl 

Department of Tmiuportaiion 

1200 Nc*' Jersey Ave.. SV. 

Washington. OC 20590 

Dear Mr. Secretary: 

I write 10 encourage your consideration oftlic application for grant fund», through the Small Community 

Air Service Development (SCASD) Program, for the St. Cloud Airpon, in St. c;ioud. Minnesota. Tlie St. 

Cloud Airport is a vital resource in Central Minnesota, and tite local community depend; on its services. 

1 he propoiial for $750,000 for the St, Cloud Airport will enhance Air Service, and 1 urge you to carefully 

consider (he merits of (be proposal. The grant funds would be u.scd to offset startup costs, pay for 

marketing efforts, and help to cover any costs incurred by carriers. 

This is not an earmark, as the ftmds liavc already been authorized for the grant. This is not a onc-«dcd 

federal handout, as the city and local businesses will also match, to a point, the SCASD dollars. CIK city 

of .St, Cloud has promised $50,000 and businesses arc developing pledges to support the airport. The 

pledges wotdd contractually obligate the businesses to use a portion of their annual travel budget on the 

St. Cloud Airport services. 

For the above reasons. I can confidently say that awarding a SCASD grant for $750,000 to the Sl. Cloud 

Airport is both good policy for Minnesota families, and sound spending of taxpayer dollars. 

Please contact my office if we can be of service m any way. On behalf of myself, and my constitueni.'s I 

thank you for your thoughtful considcFatton of this teqtKSt. 

SiiKerely. 

/ / /•<.<.< • O/^^t ^ 

Michele Bachmann 

Member of Congress 

Small Community Air Service 

Development Program 54