# o lyonspOrtoHo n . - ^l^7^.^r•,- • • Offic e O f Th e Secretar y o f TransporloTio n 

### OCT

### 2 2 201 0 Th e Honorabl e Johnn y Isakso n Unite dState s Senat e Washington , D C 2051 0 Dea r Senato r Isakson : Than k yo u for you r lette r addresse dt o Heide hShahmoradi , supportin g th e proposa l submitte dby th e Savanna hAirpor t Commissio n for

agran t unde r th e Smal l Community Ai r Servic e Developmen t

Progra m(Smal l Communit y Program) . I a mrespondin g a s th e Smal l Communit y Progra mfall s unde r m y office . Th e Smal l Communit y Progra mwa s establishe dto hel p smalle r communitie s addres s ai r servic e deficiencies , particularl y issue s relate dt o hig hairfares an dinsufficien t service . A tota l o f $ 7 millio n wil l b e availabl e for gran t award s in Fisca l Yea

r 2010 . Unde r

th e statute , th e Departmen t

may us e th e fund s t o mak e amaximu mo f 4 0 gran t award s eac h year , althoug hn o mor e than four ma y b e t o communitie s i n th e sam e State . I n 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 in ho w th e financial assistanc e may b e used . O n Jul y 30 , th e Departmen t issue da n orde r requestin g that

communitie s intereste din receivin g agran t

thi s year file thei r application s by Augus t

27 , A s thes e gran t

request s ar e pendin g befor e th e Department , I amsur e yo u understan dthat I canno t commen t

o n th e merit s o f

an y particula r

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

wil l giv e ful l consideratio n t o al l proposal s that hav e bee n properl y filed. A s i s ou r norma l practice , I a mplacin g acop y o f you r lette r an dthis respons e i

n Docke t DOT-OST-2010-012 4 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 . If

I ca n provid e further

informatio n o r

assistance , pleas e feel fi-ee t o cal l me . incerel y yours ,

Jusa n L . Kurlan d 'Assistan t Secretary for Aviatio n an dInternationa l Affair sJOHNN YISAKSO N Xi.|(K)g|S-(K) 4

'.•'.--••»- . . ••. . O C :Ci ? t o 

## mnjtcd State s Senate WASHINGTON . D C TOSl O Augus t 26 , 201 0 COMMERCE , SCl£.'-;C E AN D TRAN'iPORTATlO N L.'.fiOfl , AN D PENSION S

. • - • ML( . .vNi ' .;•••".. - -••. . VETERANS'AFFAiEI S Ms . Heide hShahmorad i Actin g Dcputi, - Assistan t Secrecan " fo r

Governmenta l .\ttaij- s L'.S . Departmen t

o t Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w )ei',scy Avenue . SI Z W'asliington . D C 205D O Dea r Ms . Shahmor.idi : I a mwridu g i n suppor t o f th e Sa\'finn:i h.\irpor f

Coinmission' s applicatio n to r tti e Smal l Communit) - .\i r

Servic e Developmen t

Piogra mGran t

administere db y th e L'.S . Dcparmicn t

ot'Transportation . Fundin g tro mthi s gran t i s particularl y importan t t o Savannah/Hiko n Vlea d Inteniationa l Airpor t

b y attractin g affordabl e air servic e t o di e cfMiiniunit)- . 'Hies e rravc l need s simpl y ar e no t

bein g me t

today . Tli e presenc e o f alow-far e carrie r

a t th e Airpor t woul dpla y ama)o r

rol e insarisfj^in g th e need s o f th e communit y an dbenefi t bot hGeorgi a an dSout hCarolina . In respec t

fo r you r policie s niit l procedures , I rtcjues r rlia t yo u giv e th e Savannii b Airpor t Commissio n )oii r

tii U consideratio n fo r

tJii s grant . I wouJ dappreciat e yo u keepin g u s informe do f

tlii s applicatio n an dan y award s mad e Uiide r liii s ftindinj; ride. I f

yo u hav e an y questions , pleas e d o no t hesitat e t o contac t

m y j:»ran

c director , Kar\ ' McF.ve r a t C^70 ) 66 1 -0999 . Than k vo u i n advanc e fo r

vou t consideration . SELEC TCOMMITTE E C N ETHIC S .>MML L BUSINES S AN D

Sincerel y yours .

nite dStiie s Senat e

[Hl/ke m