S10-090922-10 1 

# O

u s . Daportmen t o f Assistan t Secretar y 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenoe , S

E TtanSportOtio n Washington , D C 2059 0 Offic e O f theSeoBtor y [)£( ; ^ 9 200 9 o f Transportatio n Th e Honorabl e Charle s E . Schume r • Unite d State s Senat e -: ] Washington , D C 2051 0 f \ Dea r Senato r Schumer : Thank you fo r your letter supportin g th e proposal submitte d b y th e Ithac aTompkin s Regiona l Airpor t fo r agran t unde r th e Smal l Community Ai r Servic e Developmen t Progra m(Smal l Communit

y Program) . I a

mrespondin g o n behal f

o f Secretar y LaHood . Th e Smal l Communit

y Progra mwa s establishe d to hel p smalle r communitie s addres s ai r servic e deficiencies , particularl y issue s relate d t o hig h airfare s and insufficient service . Congres s appropriate d $ 8 millio n fo r gran t award s under

thi s programi

n Fisca l Yea r 2009 . Unde r

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

y us e th e fund s to make amaximu mof 4 0 grant award s eac h year , althoug h n o mor e tha n fou r ma y b e t o communitie s i

n th e sam e State . I

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

n developin g solution s to thei r ai r 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 Departmen t issue d a n orde r requestin g tha

t communitie s intereste d i

n receivin g agran t

thi s yea r fil e tJiei r application s b

y Augus t 28 . A s thes e grant

request s are pendin g before th e Department , I a msur e yo u understan d tha

t I canno t commen t o n th e merit s o

f an y particula

r proposal . I assur e you . however , tha t th e Departmen t

wil l giv e ful l consideratio n t o al l th e proposal s tha t hav e bee n filed. A s i s our norma l practice , 1 a

mplacin g acop y o

f your lette r cui d thi s respons e in Docket OST-20()9-014 9 a s acontac t outsid e th e recor

d of thi s matter . I appreciat e your interes t i n thi s program . Sincerel y yours .

Susa n L . Kurlan d Assistan t Secretar y fo r Aviatio n and International Affair sS10-090922-10 1

CHARLE S E . SCHUME R

NE W YOR K 

# BnitE d<@tate B Senat e WASHINGTON , D C 2051 0 COMMITTEES : JOIN T ECONOMI C BANKIN G JUDICIAR Y RULE S FINANC E Septembe r 15,200 9 The Honorabl e Ra

y L . LaHoo d Secretar y U.S . Departmen

t o f Transportatio n 400 7 * Street , S

W Washington , D.C . 2059 0 Dea r Secretary : I a mplease d to writ

e i n suppor t o f th e applicatio n submitte d b y Ithac aTompkin s Regiona l Airpor t fo r fundin g unde r th e Small Communit

y Ai r Servic e Developmen

t Program . Suc

h fundin g will enabl e Ithac at o improv e ai r servic e a t Ithac aTompkin s Regiona

l Airport . Th e Ithac aTompkin s Regiona l Airpor t i s ake y transportatio n link , vita

l fo r meaningfu

l economi c developmen

t i n Ithaca , Tompkin s County , an d th e Finge

r Lakes/Centra

l Ne w Yor k regions . Tompkin s County' s primar y economi c sector

i s educationa

l services , wit

h almos t 30,00 0 student s an

d 12,00 0 educatio n staff

. Inconvenient

ai r trave l affect s visit s to th e region' s campuses , limitin g thei

r interes t i n applyin g t

o th e colleges . Wit h funding , th e Tompkin s Regiona l Airpor t will b e abl e to mak

e ai r servic e t o an d fro m Ithac aTompkin s Regiona

l mor e efficien t an d mor e accessible . Specifically , fundin g will g o t o the developmen

t o f abac k u p bu s service , guaranteein g passenger s aretur n tri p t o Ithac aTompkin s Airpor t onc e th e las t

regularly schedule d flight

ha s departed . Thi s grant

will als o provide Tompkin s wit h genera l marketin g assistance , fundin g apromotiona

l campaig n to promot

e th e ai r service s availabl e to customer s flying int o an d ou t o f Ithac aTompkin s Regiona

l Airport . I applau d Ithac a Tompkin s Regiona

l Airpor t fo r it s foresight , an

d I hop e the applicatio n fo

r funding meet s wit

h you r approval . Than k yo u fo r you r consideration . Fo

r additiona l information , pleas e do no t hesitat e t o contac t m e o r m y Grant s Director , Gran

t Kerr , i n m y Washingto n offic e at

202.224.6542 . Sincerely , 

## y^^^JiAUr ^ ^^J L Charle s E . Schume

r United State s Senator