DOT 12-05
Contact: Bill Mosley, Tel.: (202) 366-4570
Wednesday, January 19, 2005

DOT Seeks Applications for $20 Million in Grants To Improve Air Service to Small Communities

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today invited communities to apply for grants under a program designed to support small towns and cities working to improve their airline service.

The Small Community Air Service Development Program uses federal funds to support communities working to attract or improve air service. Approximately $20 million is available for up to a total of 40 grants to help communities address their local air service problems, such as high fares and insufficient levels of service. This is the fourth year DOT will award grants under the program.

“Air service plays a critical role for the economies of many small communities,” Secretary Mineta said. “We are looking for partners who are willing to work to attract the kind of airline service that makes sense for their residents.”

The Secretary noted that many of the grant recipients from previous years have already benefited from the grants or will soon gain new or upgraded air service because of the grants. Additionally, passenger traffic increased at most local airports where a grant went into effect over the past three years, the Secretary said.

DOT will give priority to proposals from communities that have high airfares compared to other communities, contribute financially to the project from sources other than airport revenues, have established or will establish a public/private partnership to improve their air service, submitted proposals that will benefit a broad segment of the public with limited access to the national transportation system, and will use the assistance in a timely fashion.

The program was established in 2000 by the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century, and was reauthorized by the Vision 100 – Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act, signed by President Bush on Dec. 16, 2003.

Applications for grants are due April 22. The department’s request for proposals is available on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov, docket number OST-2005-20127. Community proposals also will be filed in this docket. Information on 2004 grant recipients is available at docket OST-2004-17343, on 2003 grant recipients at docket OST-2003-15065 and on 2002 grant recipients at docket OST-2002-11590.

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