## * ^ 

# 810-091021-01 6

& US-Departimnto r Transportatio n Offic e o f th e Secretar

y o f Transportatio n Assistan t Secretar y 

# DEC 2 9 200 9 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S

E Washington , D C 2059 0



# Th e Honorabl e BarbaraBoxer Unite dSlate s Senate Washington . D C 2051 0 Dea r Senato r Boxer : Thank you fo r you r letter supportin g th e proposal submitte db y th e Sa n Lui s Obisp o Count y Regiona l Airpor t fo r agran t under the Smal l Community Air Servic e Development

Progra m(Smal l Communit

y Program) . I a

mrespondin g on behal f

o f Secretar y LaHood . Th e Smal l Communit

y Progra mwa s establishe dt o help smalle r communitie s addres s air servic e deficiencies , particularl y issue s relate dto hig h airfare s an dinsufficien

t service . Congres s appropriate d$ 8 millio n fo r grant award s under

thi s progra

mi n Fiscal Yea

r 2009 . Under

th e statute , th e U.S . Departmen t of Transportatio n ma

y us e th e fund s to mak

e amaximu mof

4 0 grant award s eac h year- , althoug h n o more tha n fou r ma y b e t o communitie s i

n th e same State . I

n order t o provid e communitie s wit h latitud e i

n developin g solution s to their air servic e problems , th e statut e provide s significant flexibilit y i n ho w th e financial assistanc e ma y b e used . O n Jul y 10 , th e Department issue da n orde r requestin g tha

t contununitie s intereste di

n receivin g agrant

thi s yea r file their application s b y Augus t

28 . A s thes e grant

request s ar e pendin g before th e Department . 1 a msur e yo u understan dtha

t 1 canno t commen t on th e merit s of

any particula

r proposal . I assure you . however , tha t th e Department

will giv e ful l consideratio n to thi s proposa l an dall proposal s tha

t hav e been filed . A s i s our norma l practice . I a

mplacin g acop y o

f your letter an dtlii s respons e i

n Docke t OST-2009-014 9 a s acontac t outsid e th e recor

dof tlii s matter . I appreciate your interes t i n thi s program . Sincerel y yours .

Susa n L . Kurlan d Assistant Secretar y fo r Aviatio n andInternational Affair sBARBAR A BOXE R CALIFOHNI A 

## S10-0910 2



# lanitc dState s Senat e

HAR T SENATF . OFFIC E BUILDIN G

SUIT E 11 2 WASHINGTON . D C 20510-050 5 (202 ) 224-355 3 littp://boxcr.senatc.gov/contac t COMMERCE . SCIENC E ANDTRANSPORrAFIO N ENVIRONMEN T AN D PUBLI C WORK

S FOREIG N RELATION S



## Octobe r 14,200 9

Th e Honorabl e Ra y LaHoo d U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Ave. , S E Washington , D.C . 2059 0 Dea r Secretar y LaHood : I a mwritin g t o expres s m

y suppor t for th e gran t applicatio n submitte db y th e San Lui s Obisp o Count y Regiona l Airpor t t o th e Departmen t

o f Transportation' s Smal l Communit y Ai r Servic e Developmen t

Gran t Progra mi n th e amoun t

o f $500,000 . Alon g wit h aloca l contributio n o f $250,000 , th e gran t

tota l wil l b e $750,000 . I f awarded , thi s gran t

woul db e use dt o enhanc e ai r servic e i n th e Sa n Lui s Obisp o community . San Lui s Obisp o (SLO ) i s locate dalon g th e Centra l Coas t o f California . Th e SL O Count y Regiona l Airpor t i s vita l t o th e econom y o f th e region , a s i t

i s th e onl y loca l connectio n t o th e ai r transportatio n system . Give n it s locatio n o n th e Centra l Coast , i t i s importan t

that ai r servic e i s availabl e locall y t o avoi dth e length y commute s t o airport s o f asiz e whic h offer competitiv e servic e an dpricing . A recen t ai r service s surve y i n th e San Lui s Obisp o communit y foun dtha t

severa l destinations , includin g Sacramento , Seattle , Denver , Portland , an dSal t Lak e Cit y ar e highl y desirabl e o n th e Centra l Coast . In addition , asignifican t numbe r o f SLO-base d businesse s an dinstitution s hav e co-locate dfacilitie s i n on e o f mor e o f thes e cities , emphasizin g th e nee dfor

additiona l services . Du e t o th e Sa n Lui s Obisp o community' s nee dfor additiona l ai r

servic e t o on e o r

mor e o f th e above-mentione ddestinations , 1 suppor t thi s gran t

application . I hav e als o attache dletter s fro mCongresswoma n Loi s Capp s an dStat e Assemblyma n Sa mBlakesle c wh o bot h suppor t thi s gran t application . In advance , I than k

yo u fo r you r attentio n t o thi s matter . Shoul dyo u o r you r staf f hav e question s regardin g thi s letter , pleas e contac t m y Specia l Project s Director , Hilar y Pearson , a t (415)403-0107 . incerely , Barbar aBoxer / Unite dState s Senato r 1/0 0 MO N rOOMER Y STREE T SUIT E 21 0 SANTRANCISC O CA 9411 1 (41S)40:t-0l0 0 ;)li ! NORT H SPRIN G STREE T SUIT E r/.i s l.O S ANC.Kl.ES . CA '.1001 2 1 2 n i M')4-.S00O SO I rSTREE T SUIT E / bO O SACRAMENTO . C

A 9S.S1 4 l'll(i ) 44.4-278 7 2S0 0 TULAR E STREE T SUIT E S2'J 0 IRESNO . C

A ".172 1 l.')')'))497-rjl0' > (lO O B STREE T SUIT E 224 0 SA N DIEGO . C

A 4210 1 161') ) 239-HSS 4 20 1 NORT H F STREE T SUIT E 21 0 SA N BERNARDINO . CA 9240 1 (lO'l l .SSS-S.'>2. S PRINTE D O N RECYCLE D PAPE R

# S10-0910 2

lOI S CAPP S iac]iU4-w t 141 1 MM(Hhtmt r%„nTl ^ >KII>4 f tu t 

# Cangrefi>£ f o f tfi t ^nite b ibtate ^ Jfyoaet o f i\cprr$tntatibc e

.Augud t 20 , 200 9 Honorabl e Ra y LaHoo d Unilo ] Stale s Departmai t o f Transportatio n 120 0 Nt w Jerse y Av e S E Washington , D.C . Dea r Secrcliu y L atlood ; I an i writin g i n cnthusiasli e suppor t o f ih e reques t

o f th e Sa n Liii.' s Ohisp u Count y Regiona l Airpor t

lo r fisca l yea r

200 9 Smal l Coinmunil y Ai r Servic e Developmen t Progra mgrant . Th e gian t reques t amoun t i s SSOO.OOO , wit h aloea t contributio n o f S250,()iiO , for

atota l o f

S750,(KX ) t o enhanc e ai i servic e i n th e community . Th e Sa n Lui.' ; Obisp o Count y Regiona l Aitpor t i s vita l t o th e econom y o f th e regio n in dscr^c s a s ou r

loca l consectiu n t o th e ai r transponaliu n sj'siem . It s locatio n o n th e Centra l Coas t

o f Californi ainake s i t

eve n mor e importan t

tha t ai r servic e i s nvailahl e locall y t o avoi dlon g cotmnutc s t o airjiorr s o f asiz e tha t

otTer acompetitiv e servic e an d pricing . Severa l vers'ices , includin g Sacramento , Seattle . Denver . Ponian dan dSal t Lak e Cit \ar e highl y desirabl e o n th e Centra l Coast , a s evidence db y tii e finding s i n arecen t ai r s<:rvice s surve y »it h 200 0 respondents . Approximately , 12 5 businesse s an dinstituliun s hav e co-locate dfacilitie s i n on e o r mor e o f thes e cities . Th e communit y o f Sa n Lui s Obisp o Count y need s additiona l one-sto p servic e t o on e o r mor e o f thes e destinations . Ther e ar c atread y stron g tie s an ddemonstrate dnee dfo t direc t servic e t o Sacrammt o fro mSa n Lui s Obispo . alUtoug h tha t 5er\'ic B wa s discnminue di n 1 ')98 . Th e stat e ha s numeruu. s facilitie s i n ou r County , includin g Califunii aFol}1echni c Stat e University , Cuest aCommunit y College . (Talifomi aMen' s Colony , an dth e Californi a Dcpanmen l o f

Transportation . Than k yo u to r you r alrenlio n t o thi s importan t request . Secretar y L aHood . J wholeheartedl y endors e thi s applicatio n an dhop e tha t yo u uil l giv e lul l an dfai r consideratio n t o th e Sa n Lui s Obisp o Regiona l Airport' s application , consisten t wit h al l relevan t rule s an dregulations .

## S I 0-091021-01 6

LOI S CAPP S 

### Membe r o f Congres s

## S I 0-091021-01 6

5UT E CAPITO L ••.A ; '•A'.' i \i O Z, * II.' : • 

## (L'alifiu-ui al:ci^islatnn ' DtSIHiCTOFFIC F

SAMBI.AKL^Sl.I-i : ASSEMBL V UIKOFIK Y LCAUE K 

## Aufctiist :i.20o y rh c Honorabl e Ka

y I.nlloo d Unite dStale s SccrcuU

N o f •rraiisiHMt.uiiH

i 1200Nc\vJcrsc y Ave. . SI

Washingto n IK ' 2050 0 Deu r .Seereiiir> ' l.jlfood : I :u u picnse dl o len dm

y enihusiitsii c suppur

t th e rcqiies i b

y th e Sa n i.uj s Ohisp o C'ount

y RcgioiKi l Airpor t lo r ; i gnin l lor

th e tlscii l ye;i

r 2(H)9 Smal l Coniiuunil y Air Scr\'ic e Dcvclcipmen

i IVujiram . Th e amoun t ol ' ihe grant

reques t i. s 5500.00 0 wit

h j loea l coiuribuiiori uC$250,00 0 to r a(ni:il orS7."^0.00 0 t

o eiilianc e ai r

servic e i n ini r coniinimiiv . Th e Sa n T.uis Obi.sp o County Reuiona ) Airpor t i. s vita l t o th e econom y o f

th e ivgio n an d serve s a s our

loca l connectio n t o th e air

transportatit^i ) system . Our centra l coas t

o f Calitorni alocatio n make s i i eve n mor e importan t tha t ai r servic e i s availabl e locall y t u avoi dth e iwo . thre e ani l man y times . Jou r hour ci'iiinmi w l o airf>on s o f

asiz e whic h offer competitiv e servic e andpricing . Several services , includin g Sacramento . Se;uile , Oenver , Portland , an dSal t l,ake Cit y ar c highl y desirable , a s evidence dIrumth e I'lnding s i n arecentl y conclude dair ser\ic e surve y wher

e use r 200f ) response s wer e received . Our eointnunii y need. s additiona l one-sto p servic e t o on e o r mor e o f thes e destinations . We h:i\ e stron g tie s an dademonstrate dnee dfu r direc t senic e t

o ou r stal e capital . Sacrainenio . tha

t wa s diseoniinue di

n Vlay . iy98 . The Stat e ha s facilitie s locate di n ou r Count y includin g th e Californi aMen s Colon y Detentio n |-aciiity , Ala-seadcr o Slat e (•(ospital . Ca

t Pol y Stat e laiiversity , Cuest aCollege , :m dth e Ca l Tran s Distric t

Office , Additionally , accordin g t o othe r sune y results , approximatel y 125 businesse s or institution s ha\ e co - locate dfacilitie s i n oti e or mor e n f th e loljowin g cities ; Sacramento . Scjttle . Denver . Sal t

Lak e C'»t> . or Portland . Govemmcn l official s hav e bee n emphasi/.In g th e direc t .servic e neeJ. s lo r

ninn y year s and w e ar e o f th e ^ipinio n tha

t th e Hervicc canno t

b e aeconiplishet l withou t thi s gr;ml . W'

e sincerel y hop e yo awil l giv e :>tron g consideratio n o f

th e applicatio n a s subiniiie db> ' Sa n Lui s Ojhisp o County Regional Aiiport . Since n