U.S. Departmentof Transportation Officeofthe Secretary ofTrans!)ortation



### The Honorable James Essenpreis Chairman 

## JUL 52012

Board ofMineral County Commissioners P.O. Box 1635 Hawthorne, NV 89415 DearMr. Essenpreis: 1200 NewJersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590



### Thank you.for your letter, cosigned by your colleagues, supporting the proposal submitted by the Mineral County Economic Development Authority for a grant underthe U.S. Department of Transportation's Small

### Communit~-**~ir** Service Development Program. The Small Community Air Service Development Program was established to help smaller communities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares or insufficient service. Under the statute, the Department may make a maximum of40 grant
.
, a\Vards

### ~a,ch ye_ar, although no more than 4awards may be to communities irrthe sanie State.

In 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 May 15, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested inreceiving a grant this year file their applications by June 11. As these grant requests are pending before the Department, I cannot comment on the merits ofany particularproposal. I assure you that the Department will give full and fair consideration to all proposaisthat have been properly filed. As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in Docket DOT-OST-2012-0069 as a contact outside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate your interest in this program. Sincerely yours,

# ~ Aloha Ley Associate Director Small Community Program

,

# ....U.S.Departmentof Transportation Office ofthe Secretary ofTransportation



### The Honorable Nancy Black Vice Chairman Board ofMineral County Commissioners P.O. Box 1635 Hawthorne, NV 89415 Dear Ms. Black: 

## JUL 52012 ' 1200 NewJersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590



### Thank you for your letter, cosigned by your colleagues, supporting the proposal submitted by the Mineral County Economic Development Authority for a grant under the U.S. Department of Transportation's Small Community Air Service Development Program. The Small Community Air Service Development Program was established to help smaller communities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares or insufficient service. Under the statute, the Department may make a maximum of40 grant awards each year, although·nomore than.4awards may be to communities inthe same

### State~

' - ......,. . ... 

### . lri-ordefto provide com,munities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility in the types ofprojects that can be funded. On May 15, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in receiving a

. grant this year file their applications by June 11. As these grant requests arepending before the

Department, I cannot comment on the merits ofany particularproposal. I assure you that the Department will give full and fair consideration to all proposals that have been properly filed. As is ournormal practice, I amplacing a copy ofyour letter and this response in Docket DOT-OST-2012-0069 as a contact outside the record ofthis maher. I appreciate your interest in this program. Sincerely yours,

Aloha Ley Associate Director Small Community Program

•'**:~.**U.S. Departmentof Transportation Office ofthe Secretary ofTransportation

Ms. Jerrie Tipton Member Board ofMineral County Commissioners P.O. Box 1635 Hawthorne, NV 89415 DearMs. Tipton: ,;; ...**.~** ....,...: .



## JUL 52012 1200 NewJersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590

Thank you for your letter, cosigned by.your colleagues, supporting the proposal submitted by the ·Mineral County Economic Development Authority for a grant underthe U.S. Department of

Transportation's Small Community Air Service DevelopmentProgram. The Small Community Air Service Development Program was established to help smaller communities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares or insufficient service. Underthe statute, the Department may make a maximum of40 grant awards each year,**~lthoug~**..no more_

### than 4.awards may·be·to communities·in·the same State. In orderto 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 May 15,the Department issued an orderrequesting that communities interested in receiving a grant this year file-their applications byJune l L··As these grant requests are pending before the Department, I cannot comment on the merits ofany particular proposal. I assure you thatthe Department will give full and fair consideration to all proposals that have been properly filed. As is ournormal practice, I amplacing a copy ofyour letter and this response in Docket DOT -OST-:2012-0069 as a contact outside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate your interest in this program. Sincerely yours,

# ~· Aloha Ley Associate Director Small Community Program**·~·** ·,.-· ,, ..... 

## BQard of 

## l\tiiNERAL-

# ·co~Y~MMISSIONERS**i~\ ~-:**  .JAMES ESSf:NPREIS, Chairman**TelepHona'i8f-~4i.-2446** - GOVERNING HOARD FOR THE TOWNS OF NANCY HLACK, Vice Chairman**1·~7-7S::!is4'196** JIAWTIIORNE, WALKER LAKE, LUNING .JERRIE TIPTON, 1\lemher**~~')** AND :\UNA Hawthorne,NV 894_15 LIQUOR BOARD AND GAMING BOARD CIIERRIEGEORGE,Clerk orthe Board mincommissioner(alnunualcountyn,-.org COUNTY IIIGIJWAYCOMMISSJON June 7, 2012 Dear: Aloha Ley, Associate Director, Small Community Program, United States Department ofTransportation On May 81 h 2012 the United States Department of Transportation ("DOT') through Docket DOT-OST-

_ 2012-0069 invited solicitation of proposals from communities and/or consortia of communities interested in obtaining a federal grant under the Small Community Air Service Development Program ("SCASDP"). The purpose of SCASDP is to provide assistance to small I rural communities in addressing the issues of air service and airfare in their communities. The SCASDP provides for a Private Public Partnership ("3P") framework so as to establish a Consortium for partnering in the submission. NATIONS INVESTMENT COMPANY ("NIC") had conceptualized and commenced establishment of a Nevada Entity, HIGH SIERRA AIRLINES ("HSA"), as a Nevada regional airline 1 almost two years ago in collaboration with the Mineral County Economic Development Authority, the 1 town of Hawthorne and specific businesses. Unlike the previous efforts to operate a viable rural regional airline in Nevada, HSA will operate on the premise of a comprehensive business model that enables accessto the un- and under-utilized assets of these rural communities versus dependency on the appropriation of a governmental air service

, -· passenger**-~ubsidy**

### for§rnaII .communities (i.e. Essential Air Service.-,EAS.)

__ HSA's Business .Model.is predicated on HSA being the logistical Access Catalyst for Rural Nevada. In this role, HSA would function as the enabler of commerce (e.g., people, goods and services) to these Communities and redefine aspects of movement for business to these locations where rubber-tire access is the predominant mode for transportation now. The Mineral Cot,Jnty · Commission is officially acknowledging its suppor:t and advocacy in the implementation plan ofHSA along with its proposal solicitation for the SCASDP Grant. With this Letter, We are notifying the DOT of our participation in this Initiative as a Public Partner I Supporter for the I HSA Project within this 3P Framework. Mineral County Commission believes that HSA's Business i Model

.will provide a Strategic business solution that is desperately needed for the transportation network of rural Nevada. The presence of a viable rurally-focused regional airline wHI stimulate growth
· and make reality the promise of sustainable job creation through reliable year-round scheduled air

service. In formalizing our position as a Supp9rter I Partnerofthis Initiative, We are voicing our belief in the potential of HSA'& operation furthering the economic development and viability of both the rural and urban Counties in Nevada. Sincerely,

·'.


## ,.....**/.{>~&-:::.--«·' ~**  / James Essenprfof§, Chair 

# /7 ti-?t.U'-n

. 

## t.fd.<:..h Nancy**~lack,** Vice Chair