U.S. Department of Transportation Office ofthe Secretary OfTransportation

The Honorable Roger F. Wicker United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Wicker: 1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E. Washington, DC 20590

Thank you for your letter supporting the application submittedby the Meridian Regional Airport for a grant under the U.S. Department ofTransportation'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 relatedto high airfares or insufficient service. Under the statute, the Department may make a maximum of40 grant awards each year, although no more than four awards maybe to communities inthe 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 June 24, the Department issued an order setting a deadline ofJuly 26 for applications. As these grant requests are pendingbefore the Department, I cannot comment onthe merits ofany particularproposal. I assure youthat the Department will give full and fair consideration to all proposals thathave beenproperly filed. As is our standard practice, I amplacing a copy ofyour letter and this response in Docket DOT-OST-2013-0120 as a contact outside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate your interest in this program. Sincerely yours,

iate Director Small Co munity Air Servi e DevelopmentROGER F. WICKER MISSISSIPPI ARMED SERVICES BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS COMMERCE, SCIENCE AND TRANSPORTATION VETERANS' AFFAIRS 

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The Honorable Anthony Foxx Secretary U.S. Department ofTransporation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, D.C. 20590-0001
Dear Anthony, WASHINGTON, DC 20510 August 5, 2013 SUITE 555 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20510 (202) 224-6253 www.wicker.senate.gov

I would like to express my support for Meridian Regional Airport's application for a Small Community Air Service Develbpifieiit (SCASD) grant.
. '**~** '. 'I ' After decades ofservice, DeltaAirlines ceasedtheir operations at several cities in my home state ofMississippi last September. A new carrier, Silver Airways, currently is serving three ofthese airports without any code-sharing or frequent flyer program support.

. .. The Meridian Regional Airportjoined with the Hattiesburg-Laurel Airport and the Greenville Mid-Delta-Airportto form 

### a consortiumto apply for the 2013 Community Air Service 'Devdopment grant. A $120,000 grant from the Department ofTransportationwould allow these airports to expand marketing and promotionoftheir new local air service. Access to local air transportation is importantto the economic development and growth ofeach ofthese cities. A SCASD grant would provide much needed funding to support each ofthese regional airports and increase familiarity ofthe new carrier and flight availability. I hope that you will give Meridian Regional Airport's application every consideration. Should additional informatiotl be required from my office, please contact Jennifer Schmidt ofmy staffat (228) 604-2383. Withbestwishes,

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P.O. Box 385 HERNANDO, MS 38632

(662) 429-1002
.. P.O. Box 3T:77 TUPELO, MS 38803

(662)'844-5010 . :·. Sincerely yours,

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501 EAST COURT STREET, SUITE 3.500 JACKSON, MS39201 

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(601) 965-4644 ,.. .
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452 COURTHOUSE ROAD, SUITE F

. GULFPORT, MS 39507 (228) 604-2383 3118 PASCAGOULA STREET, SUITE 179 PASCAGOULA, MS 39567 (228) 762-5400