U.S. Department of Transportation Office of the Secretory ofTransportation



### Mr. Thomas Nelson Otiiagat11ie County Executive 410 

### S. Walnut Street Appleton, WI 54911 Dear Mr. Nelson: Assistant Secretary 

### July 3, 2012

.• 1200,NcwJcrscy Avenue. SE Washington. DC 20590



### Thank you for your letter addressed to Secretary LaHood supporting the proposal submitted by ·the Outagamie County Airpm1 for a grant under the U.S. Department**ofTransporta~ion's** 

### SnJall Community Air Service Development Program. The Secretary has requested that I respond-on his behalf. 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 grani awards each year, although no more than 4 awards may be to communities in the same State. ln order to provide communities with**la~itude** 

### in developing solutions-to their air service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility in the types ofprojects that can be f\.inded. On May 15, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in receiving a grant this year file their applications by

### June ll. As these grant requests are pending before the
· Dc[5artment, l cannot comment on the merits ofany particular proposal. 1·assure you 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. Iappreciate your interest in. this program.. Sincerely yours,

Susan L. 

### Kurland Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs. " .........**~** ·-·· ...**···~·** 

# OUTAG'AMIE COUNTY

410 S. WALNUT ST. APPLETON, WISCONSIN 54911

### OAACEOFTHECOUNTYEXEC~ June 7, 2012 The Honorable Ray LaHood Secretary Thomas Nelson, CountyExecutive

U.S. Department ofTransportation 400 7tll Street, SWRoom 10200 Washington, D.C. 20590 DearSecretary LaHood:**~** ., . ; ·-·'**:·~**

### ...... _..;,;.. -**~** -· 

### .

Telephone 92o-832-1684 FAX 920-832-1534 Thomas.Nelson@co.outagamie.wi.us

I write today in support ofOutagWn.ie**Co~ty** Airport's application for a Small CommunityAir Service Development Grant. I share the Airport's goal ofattracting affordable, convenient air service to our community helping fosterbusiness and industry growth. As a local elected official, one ofrecwring themes I hear from ourbusiness communityisthe importance ofconnecting with their clients throughout the county and the world. In orderto retain and attract business and industry, we mustmaintain and expand convenient, competitively priced airservice. ATW's grant request offers a very unique opportunity to study a business plan concept thathas ·exciting potential to fundamentally lower airline operating costs in the market, thereby stabilizing existing service and offering exciting opportunities to grow service, unlike traditional revenue guarantees. Outagamie ColUlty Airport continues to make critical investments inthe infrastructure to provide the framework for"sustairiable,**long~terin- gro~.**  Support through the Small Community

### Air Service Development Grantwill be a key component in identifying yet another opportunity to strengthen theairport's competitive position in the**marketpl~ce** and support additional air service recruitment efforts. Combined, these investments will strengthenATW's ability to serve the needs ofboth business and leisure travelers throughout**~e** region. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration ofOutagamie County Airport's Small Community Air Service Development Grant application. I am confident this investment will provide long-term results inretention and attraction of**quality~** affordable air service to the businesses and residents ofNortheast Wisconsin. · Sincerely, 

# 2d

son

Outagamie County Executive

Visit our 1-.rebsite at w-..-w. co.outagamie.wi.us