## u.s. Deportment of

### Transportation Office of the Secretory oiTransportotion



### Mr. Edward C.**M~ Commissionet~**  

### ofPlanning 

### 121 East Court

### St. Ithaca, NY 14850 Dear

## Mr. Marx: :. l J 

## AUG tl ZOI3

Thank you foryour letter addressed to Secretary Foxx, supportingthe p.roposal submittedby the IthacaTompkinsRegional Airport for a gfantunder 

### the U.S. Department ofTransportation's Small Comrnunity Air Service Develo.pment Program. Secretary Foxx asked that I 

### respond to you on his behatt: The Small Community 

### Air Service Development Program was established tb 

### help smaller communities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues related to 

### high airfares or insufflei.ent service. Underthe statute, the Department may make a maxhnum of40 grant awards each year. although no more than four awards may be to commu11ities in 

### the'same**Sta~e.** 

### In ordeho provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibillty in the

### types ofprojects thtit 

### can he funded. On June 24, 

### the Departmentissuedan 

### order reqttesting that communities interested in receiving a grant this year file their applications by July 26. As these grantrequests are pendingbefore the Department, Icannot comment on the merits ofany particularproposaL I assure you that the Department 

### will give fu.IJ and fair consideration to all proposals tha\ have been properly Jlled. As is our standard practice, I am placing a copy your letter and this response in Docket DOT-OST**~20**

### 13-0120 as acontact outside Lhe record ofthis matter. I appreciate yourinterestin this program.
Sincerely yours,

Assistant Secretary for A

### viation and International Affairs

### Tompkins County 

### DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING

Edward C. Marx, AICP CommissionerofPlanning July 19,2013 The Honorable Anthony Foxx Secretary ofTransportation U.S. Department ofTransportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 121 East CourtStreet Ithaca, NewYork 14850

Re: Application for Small Community Air Service Development GrantIthacaTompkins Regional Airport, Ithaca, New York. Dear Secretary Fox..x: Telephone (607) 274-5560 Fax (607) 274-5578

Iam writing in support ofthe grant application from the IthacaTompkins Regional Airport. Tompkins County is home to Cornell University, Ithaca College and Tompkins Cortland Community College. These educational institutions attract students, visiting faculty and researchers from across the country and around the world. In large part as a result ofour preeminent research university Ithaca has grown hightech and advanced manufacturing companies that rely on having a means ofrapid transportation to reach their customers, suppliers and investors. Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport provides that vital connection for the institutions and firms that are the foundation ofour local economy. It is clear that without the airport and the scheduled air service itbrings, the employment opportunities and economic strength ofthe local economy would be undermined. Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport has made great strides in maintaining and expanding air service, yet the volatility ofthe airline industry, and flight cancellations and delays resulting from congestion in the New York, Newark, and Philadelphia air traffic control areas make 

### it a constant challenge. More recent events concerning contract towers have shaken customerconfidence and we are attempting to recover from that disruption. The Small Community Air Service Development grant will help us to expand our air service offerings and re-establish customer loyalty by providing more non-stop destinations to less congested airports. Iask that you give you favorably consider Ithaca's Small Community Air Service Development Grant application. Sincerely,

Edward C. Marx, AICP Commissioner ofPlanning



### I11cfusion tlirouoli <Diversity