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## =ic5< ^ i._Ji^- n US.Departmeiito f Assistant Secretar y,\^°?.^ 7 ^^Ar^on'/o r^ ^ lyansportotlo n Washington , D C 2059 0 Offic e o f th e Secretar

y o f Transportatio n Septembe r9 , 201 1 

### Mr . Christophe r

Ro y Directo r Offic e o f Aeronautic s Minnesot aDepartmen t

o f Transportatio n Mai l Sto p 41 0 ^ I . I l l Eas t Plat o Boulevar d" " St . Paul , M N 55107-161 8 Dea r Mr . Roy : Thank yo u for you r lette r t o Secretary LaHoodsupportin g th e proposa l submitte db y th e St . Clou dRegiona l Airport for agran t unde r th e Smal l Community Ai r Servic e Developmen t

Progra m(Smal l Community Program) . Th e Secretary ha s aske dtha t I respon do n hi s behalf. Th e Smal l Community Progra mwa s establishe dt o hel p smalle r communitie s addres s ai r servic e deficiencies , particularl y issue s relate dt o hig hairfare s an dinsufficien t service . Unde r th e statute , th e Departmen t ma y us e th e fund s t o mak e amaximu mo f 4 0 gran t award s eac hyear , althoug hn o mor e tha n four may b e t o communitie s i n th e sam e State . In orde r t o provid e communitie s withlatitud e i n developin g solution s t o thei r ai r servic e deficiencies , th e statut e provide s significan t flexibility i n ho w th e financial assistanc e may b e used . O n Jul y 1 , th e Departmen t issue dan orde r

requestin g tha t

communitie s intereste di n receivin g agran t

thi s year file thei r application s b y Augus t

2 . A s thes e gran t

request s ar e pendin g before th e Department , I amsur e yo u understan dtha t I canno t commen t o n th e merit s o f an y particular

proposal . I assur e you , however , tha t th e Departmen t

wil l giv e full consideratio n t o al l proposal s tha t hav e bee n properl y filed. A s i s ou r norma l practice , I amplacin g acop y o f you r lette r an dthi s respons e i n Docke t DOT-OST-2011-011 9 a s acontac t outsid e th e recor do f

thi s matter . I appreciat e you r interes t i n thi s program . I f

I ca n provid e further

informatio n o r

assistance , pleas e feel free t o cal l me . Sincerel y yours .

Susan L . Kurlan d Assistan t Secretary for Aviatio n an dInternationa l Affair s

### S I 0- 1 10X25 -



# Letter s o f Suppor

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'•o r,«»!» ' Minnesot a Dttpartmen t o f Transpo«tatlo n

Offlc * o f Aeronautic s Ma)IS!op4t O 22 2 Ea « P)3»

> Boutevtu d S I P«iM.M N 55107-161 8 Phone : eSIIZM-TWO Fm : 651/234.726 1

Jul y2.5,201 1 Th e lionor^t cRayUiHoo d Seercuiry . U.S . Dc^ianmcttt orTrawtportaiio n 40 0 Sevent h Street , S.W . Washington , DC . 2059 0 Dea rMr . S««rctary ; Th e Minnesot a Dei»snmen i o f Tninspomiio n OffH M o f Aeronamtc s stq^it s th e 201 1 applicatio n o f th e St . Clou d Regiona l Airpor t fo ra gran t uttdc rth e Smal l Commurtit yAi rServic e Deve!<^mcn i Ptogmni . Tli cS t Clou d are a has bee n withou t regularl yschedule d ai rpa!»enge ritervie e sinc e Mesnb a Airline n line s discontinue d swrvice a t th e St . Clou d Regiona l Aii7)ort i n December , 300 9 Th e .200 6 Minnesot a Stal e Aviatio n Syste m Pla n foun d tita t onl yabou t 11 % o f ai rtraveler s fro m di e S i Clou d are a wer e u«in g Iti cSt . Clou d Regiona l Aitpml , Furthermore , al l M<»sbt i (light s fro m St . Clou d wer e route d throug h MSP . Havin g t o chang e alritlane s a t MSP , m oppose d t o direct nonsto p servic e t o anodut rcily/citics , mad e i t inconvenien t t o flyou t o f St . Cloti d and , i n ou r opinion , wa s a nujti rreaso n forth e leakag e t o MSP . Astud yI n 199 6 foun d tha t mor e tha n UIO.OO O airlin e ticket s wcn e sol d i n tli cSt . Clou d area , bu t tha t mo « o f thos e pasj>etiti!<nt ( wo e drivin g t o MSP . a s di«:u$se d above . B yan yreasonabl e measure , th e St . Clou d are a i s undcrserv^l . Growin g highwa ycongestio n betwee n St . Clou d an d th e Twi n Ciiic * increase s th e inconvenienc e o f flying fro m MSP . MnDOT' s Offic e o f Aeronautic s fttttysupport s St . Cloud' s elTor t t o restor e schedule d ai rservic e t o th e S t Clou d are a an d tlt cCity' s ai^licatio n fo ra Smal l Communit yAi rServic e Developmen t gran t t o assist i n that endeavor . Christophe rRo y DiKclo r MnDO T Offic e o f Aeronautie s

A n equa l opportuna yomploye r 

### Smal l ComtnunJt

yAi rServic e Developmen t Progra m 5 5