e 

lif:'???^!!?*" ^ Assistant Secretary 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

"OnsPOrMio n Washington, DC 20590 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

SEP 0 9 2on ? 

—! 

Mr. Malcolm Unsworth 

President and Chief Executive Officer '-"'-* 

Itron, Inc. >> 

2111 North Molter Road "^ o?5 9 

LibertyLake,WA 99019 ^ g-"^ 

Dear Mr. Unsworth: 

Thank you for your letter to Secretary LaHood supporting the proposal submitted by the 

Spokane Airport Board for a grant under the Small Community Air Service Development 

Program (Small Community Program). The Secretary has asked that I respond on his 

behalf 

The Small Conamunity Program was established to help smaller communities address air 

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

Under the statute, the Department may use the fiinds to make a maximum of 40 grant 

awards each year, although no more than four may be to commimities in the same State. 

In order to provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service 

deficiencies, the statute provides 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 grant this year 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 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 record of this matter. I appreciate your 

interest in this program. If I can provide further information or assistance, please feel 

fi-ee to call me. 

Sincerely yours. 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
V 

1 

Itron 

SI 0-110803-033 

Electric I Gas I Water 

Intfl/matiofi cohectiop analysis ancf ifiplivstirn2111 Nortli Molter Road 

UbertyljIte.WA 99019 

509.924.9900 Tel 

509.891.3355 Fax 

August 2, 201 1 www.itiwi.am 

The Honorable Raymond La Hood 

Secretary 

United States Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue S.E. 

Wasliington, DC 20590 

Re: OST-2011-0119 

SCASD Grant Application of Spoicane 

Dear Secretary La Hood: 

This letter is in reference to the Spokane community's grant application to recruit nonstop 

service to Los Angeles and Southern California. The Small Community Air Service Development 

Grant Program is an integral part of our strategy to address our community's most significant 

air service deficiency. Spokane is the key commercial center for an 80,000 square mile area 

that includes parts of four states and two Canadian provinces. The lack of nonstop flights from 

Los Angeles and Southern California is a major economic detriment to our region. 

Our company is the world's leading provider of smart metering, data collection and utility 

software systems, with nearly 8,000 utilities worldwide relying on our technology to optimize 

the delivery and use of energy and water. Our offerings include electricity, gas, water and heat 

meters; network communication technology; collection systems and related software 

applications; and professional services. 

As of December 31, 2010, we had approximately 9,500 people in our workforce, including 

permanent and temporary employees and contractors. 

Our factory locations typically consist of manufacturing, assembly, service, and/or distribution, 

and may also include research and development and administrative functions. Our office 

locations consist primarily of sales and administration functions, and may also include research 

and development functions. Itron North America facilities are located primarily in the United 

States while Itron International's facilities are in Europe, Asia/Pacific, and throughout the rest of 

the world. Our headquarters facility is located in Liberty Lake, Washington. Our U.S. operations 

for advanced metering communication modules are located in Waseca, Minnesota and our 

electricity meter operations are located in Oconee, South Carolina. Our international operations 

are more diversified. 
S10-110S03-033 

We also have offices in California as well: Berkeley, Davis (Consulting & Analysis, Renewabies & 

Distributed Generation Services), Oakland (EEM, lEE, Customer Care, Revenue Assurance, 

Consulting), San Diego (Energy Forecasting, Load Research, Consulting & Analysis) and Santa Fe 

Springs (Outsourced Meter Reading Services). 

This is why nonstop service to the Los Angeles or connecting through LAX to South America, 

Asia or the Pacific is economically important to us. 

The community and the Airport have joined to recruit a carrier to provide this service. The data 

and traffic potential are very compelling and show Spokane can support the passenger traffic 

necessary to make the route a success. Annually, over 300,000 people travel between our two 

regions. The grant, however, will be necessary to provide the target carrier with a risk-offset to 

begin service. 

Your time and efforts in this matter are much appreciated, and I look forward to your favorable 

consideration of Spokane's grant application. 

Sincerely, 

ITRON, INC. 

Malcolm Unsworth 

President anfl CEO 

« 

C: 

Lawrence J. Krauter 

Todd S. Woodard 

Spokane Internal Airport