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_ _...,.. EncouragingAroostook Development**------~~-~------·--·** December 1, 2011

. The Honorable Raymond LaHood

Secretary, U.S. Department ofTranspcrtation 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE Washington, DC 20590 RE: Essential Ajr Service bidders for theNorthern Maine R.cgjonaJ Ah;port- Presque Tsle. ME 

### Delll' Secretary LaHood: I am the Vice President ofLEADers Encouraging Aroostook Development (LEAD) located in Caribou, ME in central Aroostook County. LEAD is a multi-faceted, nonwprofrt; volunteer organization promoting and encouraging balanced economio dovelopmont within The County. One· ofourprimi!UY activities is to provide advocacy for the county' II mudl businesses. Caribou is located about 12 miles north ofPresque Isle. The Northern Maine Regional Airport (NMRA), locat4d in Presque Isle, plays a vital role in the eoonomic vitalif31 ofour region. Colgan Air, a contractor for US Airways that currently is the sole prov\der ofcommercial air service between Boston's Logan International Airport and NMRA, has filed an application to discontinue a1r service to Northern Maine. LEAD recently learned ofa new law that 

### allows Essential Air Service'bidders to submitproposals 

### for 8-seat airors.ft to replace the 15-soat planes used 

### by Colgan Air that 

### will be leaving once a new carrier fs chosen. We are extremely concerned aboutthis possible scenario for several reasons:
• · Most important, atthe time that NMRA plane service was reduced to the present lS·seatplane. public use ofthe airport demonstrated the need for a larger 34-seat plane. The region, including substantial volume from :oeighboringNGW Brunswick, has already seen diminished economic benefit in our airtransportation sector.
• The ourront 15-seat plane can fly non-stop to designated hubs beyond Boston to connect to other flights, an altemati:ve thatwill not be possible with an 8-seatplane.
• No major carrier is likely to enter into a codesha.re agreement with a regional operator operating aircraft with le11s than 1 S seats.


### • The laok ofspac. on an 

### 8·sea.t plane is a substantialbarrier to routine use bytourists and business people. Small planes will binder vacationing families) hunters and fi&hennen who 

### fly into Presque Isle 

### with all oftheir gear. Similarly, business people would 

### be similarly hindered in bringing exhibita1 displays and .other bulky bags that 

### may be needed 

### fortheir visits.
• Last, an 8-seat plane has no restroom facilities. Maine 

### is the oldest state in the nation and Aroostook County's average age is 43, the oldest in the state. As a result there is a significant migration of"snowbirds, using the NMRA in the early fall months who then retutn home in the late spring months. Aircraft without restroom facilities would not workfor people

### who have various medioal oonditions. lnoludingphysical disabilities. On·bshalfofthe LEAD Board of

### Directors, Iurge you to maintain at leastthe current standard

# ofa 15 seataircraft.**Slnoe~urs,**

# ~~~~ James Davis, Vice President 

# 4 EA.Ders Bneouraging Aroostook Development fSAroostook

.

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### aax ng• caribou,**M~ln•** 04736.**Phon~** (201) 498·8131-Pax (207) 493-3108 3/6