U.S.Deportmentof 

### ll'tiMpOftctlan 

### Officeotlhesecretarv ofTransportotloo



## Ms. Martha 0. Robertson Chair Tompkins County Legislature 320 North Tioga Street 

## Ithaca, NY 14850
Dear

## Ms. Robertson: t.J 

## AUG 212013 N:ew JerSieY Avenue, SE**Wo:;hin~Jion,** DC 20590



## Thankyou tor yotir**letter~** 

## addressed to Secretary Fo}{X, supporting the proposal submitted by the 

## IthacaTompkins Regional Airport for a grant under the 

## Department ofTransportation's 

## Small Community 

## Air Service Development Program. Secretary that 

## Irespond to you on his behalf. The Small Community Air Service Development Program was established to 

## help smaller communities address air service deficiencies, particularly related to high airfares or insufficient service. Under the statute, the Departmentmay make a maximum of40 

## grant awards each year, although no more than: four awards may to communities in the same State. l.n 

## order to provide communities with 

## latitude in 

## developing solutions to their air service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility 

## in the types ofprojects 

## that can 

## be funded. 

## On June 24. the Department issued an order requesting that comtl1Ullities interested in receiving a grant this year file their applications by July 26. As these gnmt requests are pendingbefore the Department, I 

## cannot comment on the rnerits ofany particularproposal. I 

## assure you that 

## the Department 

## will give full and fair consideration to all proposals that have been properly filed.
As is our sta:ndardpractice, Iam placing a copy ofyour leuer and this response in Docket DOT-OST-2013-0120 as a contact outside the record ofthjs matter. Iappreciate your interest in this program. Sincerely yours.

Susan Kurland Assistant Secretary for Aviation 

## and International Amdrs

# ---------- ·--·-··-·-----··---·----···--·-·--·-·

# Tomp~f,~iji\{g~stature 3lQ N'orth**.r.ipga\Stre~t, Ii.lili~.a,**  N.Y. 14850 Telephol!e 

### (6.o7):=!i74;Ml\4**.FA~i (6~7)**  274-5430 ·:':,**\Y\vw.(~tii~~'lfi~~i\o.ot-gJliglslnture**

July 19, 2013
The Honorable Anthony Foxx Secretary ofTransportation U.S. Department ofTransportation 1200 NewJersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 ··:,
.. ...**.i_;!'~l~:·.~.='"** . : · ..... ·i · .•.. "". ..:;.V**·.~·**

·.,

### ...:.· ... ·

Re: Application forSmall Community Air Service Development Grant-

· Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport, Ithaca, New York.
Dear Secretary Foxx:
Iwrite in support ofthe grant application from the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport. Tompkins County is one ofthe bright spots in the New York State economy. Its extraordinary educational and research institutions attract students, scientists, and investment from throughout the world. Our knowledge- · based, high tech economy is highly dependent on mobility and access, yet we are quite geographlcaliy Isolated. The.nearest Interstate highway exchange Is over 20 miles away and passenger rail service Is farther away 

### still. The Tompkins County economy, which fuels the economy ofUpstate New York, depends on reliable, quality air service provided by the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport.
The volatility ofthe airline industry, continued congestion In the New York, Newark, and Philadelphia airtraffic control (!rea and more recent events concerning contract towers, have all served to undermine the stability ofour passenger base. The Small Community Air Service Development grant will help us to expand our air service offerings and re-establish customer loyalty by providing more .non-stop destinations to less congested airports and thus more reasons forthe community to use their local facillty.ln aworlc! ofglobal competition, easy access to the world market has become an essential factor for ourfuture wellbeing. I Agrant award to the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport will be translated into sustained economic growth In sectors that are as importantto the nation as**t~ey** are to Upstate New Yor.k. · Your favorable consideration of ourgrant request Is greatly appreciated. Sincerely,

.

# l;tcw~~~ Martha 0. Robertson, Chair Tompkins County Legislature