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U.S.D«partlTMntO f 120 0 Ne wJerseyAvenue , S E TIransportorHo n Washington , D C 2059 0 Offic e O f th e Secretar

y o f Transportatio n May 4 , 201 0 VI A EMAI L Th e Honorabl e Mayo r

Da n Porte r Mayo r Cit y o f Corte z 21 0 Eas t Mai n Stree t Cortez , Colorad o 8132 1 Dear Mayo r Porter : I woul dlik e t o updat e yo u o n th e essentia l ai r servic e situatio n a

t Alamos aan dCorte z an d giv e yo u a

n opportunit y t o submi t

comments , i

f yo u wish . A s yo u know , b y Orde r

2010-3-34 , issue dMarc h30 , 2010 , th e Departmen t solicite d proposal s fro mai r

carrier s intereste di n providin g essentia l ai r servic e at

th e communitie s i n anticipatio n of

th e en dof

th e curren t

contrac t o n Jul y 31 , 2010 . At

thi s stage , w e woul d normall y as k

for you r preference s fo r

variou s carrier s an dservic e options . However , i n respons e t o tha t

order . Great

Lake s Aviation , Ltd . (th e incumbent) , was th e onl y carrie r t o submi t aproposal . Nonetheless , w e wan t t o giv e yo u a

n opportunit y t o submi t

an y final comment s for

th e recor dtha t

yo u ma y hav e befor e w e mak e acarrier-selectio n recommendatio n t o th e Assistan t Secretar y for

Aviatio n an dInternationa l Affairs . In additio n t o ou r

brie f descriptio n below , th e proposal , a s wel l a s Orde r 2010-3-34 , can b e viewe donlin e at

www.regulations.gov , b y doin g asearc ho n Docke t DOT-OST-1997-296 0 o r DOT-OST-1998-3508 . Grea t Lake s propose s t o continu e operatin g it s curren t leve l o f service , i.e. , 1 8 nonsto p roun d trip s pe r wee k betwee n eac hcommunit y an dDenve r Internationa l Airport , wit h19-sea t Beec h190 0 aircraft , a

t th e annua l subsid y rat e of $1,987,15 5 for

Alamosa , an d$1,847,65 7 a t Cortez . Pleas e not e that

propose dschedule s ar e illustrativ e an dth e carrier s may mak e schedul e change s t o reflec t

changin g conditions . Th e Departmen t expect s subsidize dair

carrier s t o maintai n well-time dan dwell-space dflight s t o ensur e full compensation . M y puipos e i n writin g t o yo u a t thi s tim e i s t o giv e you a n opportunit y t o submi t

any final comment s yo u migh t

hav e o n th e propose dservice . W e reques t that you revie w thi sinformatio n a s expeditiousl y a s possibl e an dsubmi t an y comment s you may hav e a s soo n a s possible , bu t

in an y cas e n o late r

than Jun e 4 , 2010 . W e wil l carefull y conside r you r comment s befor e w e submi t arecommendatio n t o th e Assistan t Secretary for

afina l decision . If yo u hav e questions , o r

i f yo u fin dthat

yo u nee dadditiona l tim e t o draf t you r comments , pleas e le t u s know . Pleas e submi t

you r comment s t o m e at : EAS@dot.gov . In addition , w e woul dappreciat e if yo u woul demai l you r

comment s t o both dennis.devanv@dot.go v an drenee.williams@dot.gov . Yo u shoul dals o sen dacop y of you r comment s t o Grea t

Lakes . I f yo u hav e an y questions , pleas e feel fre e t o contac t m e o r Rene e WiUiam s o f

my staf f a t 202-366-1058 . A n identica l lette r

ha s bee n sen t

t o th e Manage r

of th e Corte z Municipa l Airport . Sincerely ,

Denni s J . DeVany , Chie f EA S & Domesti c Analysi s Divisio n Offic e o f Aviatio n Analysi s

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