### ^Mli ^ TH E SECRETAR Y O F TRANSPORTATIO N ::^oiJjRWIC> ! |^F» | WASHINGTON , D.C . 2059 0 -iOrrKAllU P 

# IB S Septembe r 09 , 201 1

Th e Honorabl e Bo

b Corker Unite d State s Senat

e Washington , D C 2051 0 Dea r Senator Corker : Than k yo u fo r you r letter supportin g th e proposa

l submitte d b

y th e 'Iri-Citie s Airpor

t Commissio n fo

r agran t unde r th e Small Communit

y Ai r Servic e Developmen t

Program . The Small Communit

y Progra mwa s establishe d to hel

p smaller communitie s addres s ai r

servic e deficiencies , particularl y issue s relate d t o high airfare s an d insufficient

service . Unde

r th e statute , the U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n ma

y mak e amaximu mo f

4 0 grant award s eac h year , altliough n o mor

e tha n 4 ma y b e to communitie s in th e same State . I n order t o provid e communitie s wit

h latitud e i

n developin g solution s t

o their ai r servic e deficiencies , the statute allow s significan

t flexibility in ho w the financial assistanc e ma y b e used . O n July 1 , th e Departmen t

issue d a n order requestin g tha

t communitie s intereste d i

n receivin g a gran t thi s yea r file thei r application s b

y Augus t 2 . A s thes e gran t

request s ar e pendin g befor e the Department , I a

msure yo u understan d tha

t I cannot commen t o n th e merit s o f

any particula

r proposal . I ca

n assure you , however , tha t the Departmen

t will giv e ful

l consideratio n t

o all proposal s tha

t hav e been properl y filed. A s i s ou r norma l practice , 1 a

mplacin g acopy Q^^w r

letter an d thi s respons e i

n Docket DOT-OST-2011-011 9 a s acontac t outsid e tlid^redor

d o f thi s matter . I appt^at e your interes t i n thi s program . If ! ca

n provid e furthe/lnforaJrati * or assistance , pleas e Ji^/e e to cal l me .BO B CORK£ R TEMNESBE f 

# lanitt dState s Senat e S I 0-110808-01 6 FAX : m n 2t»-m

m CowwiUtfr> : Mii i UnBA N Ar f Ain s ENERSS V AN H NATySA l R f SOtWCFS , Si' l ClA L COMMIT!t £ O H AOl«t S Augus t 2 , 201 1 Th e Honorabl e Raymon d L . LaHoo d U S Departmen

t o f Transportatio n Secretar y o f Transportatio n Unite d State s Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 1200 New Jerse y Avenue , S E Washingto n D.C . 2059 0 Dea r Secretar y LaHood . I a mwritin g t o expres s m

y suppor t fo r th e Tri-Citie s Regiona

l Airport' s applicatio n fo

r th e Smal l Communit

y Ai r Servic e Developmen t

(SCASD ) gran t

(DOT-OST-2011-0119) . A s aresul t

o f th e merge r

betwee n Delt aAirline s an d Northwes t Airlines , direc t

servic e fro

mth e regio n to major

hub s throughou t

th e Unite d State s ha s been reduced . Tri-Citie s Regional Airpor t woul d appl y th e SCAS D Gran t t o provid e start

u p cost s an d marketin g support t o attrac t America n Airline s fo

r regiona l je t

servic e t o thei r

hu b i n Dallas/Ft . Wort

h (DFW) . I f

successfiil , thi s projec t

coul d substantiall y improv e ai r servic e option s i

n Northeas t

Tennessee . I appreciate you r

attentio n t o thi s importan t matter . Pleas e kee p m c informe d abou t th e progres s o f thi s proposal , an d whe n adecisio n i s made . If yo u hav e an y questions , pleas e d o no t hesitat e to contac t m y offic e at (202 ) 224-3344 . Sincerely ,

Bo b Corker Unite d Slate s Senato r BC/j g