Protecting Maine’s rural air service
By U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud
(D-Maine)
Air service is critical to Maine’s communities and their ability to grow and attract businesses. Unfortunately, a program that helps ensure rural air service continues is potentially on the chopping block in Washington. I’m doing everything I can to save it, and I’m pleased that a supporter from across the political aisle is joining me in this effort.
As many of you may know, Colgan Air asked the Department of Transportation for permission to end air service in Presque Isle and Bar Harbor last fall. Because of that, the Department of Transportation is now in the process of finding a replacement carrier. Until that occurs, Colgan Air must continue to provide service.
In early January, carriers submitted proposals to serve Presque Isle and Bar Harbor, and the airports and the communities are currently reviewing their proposals. The Department of Transportation will consider any feedback that they have when making a final decision, which is now expected in April.
Throughout this process, I have urged the Department of Transportation to choose a carrier that can truly meet the needs of the communities, which depend on the connection to the rest of the country provided by their local airports. If we want to expand our businesses and attract new ones, we must ensure continued access to convenient air service at a price that residents in Presque Isle and Bar Harbor can afford. I will be watching this process very closely as it moves forward.
However, the very program that ensures these communities have access to air service in the first place is potentially in jeopardy.
The Essential Air Service (EAS) program provides subsidies to air carriers for providing service between small communities, like Presque Isle and Bar Harbor, and hub airports. The program was originally established in 1978 as part of airline deregulation to ensure a minimum level of air service to smaller communities that might otherwise lose service because of economic factors.
EAS could be in trouble because it was not extended in a House-passed bill reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and related programs. I voted against that bill because it eliminated EAS support for airports across the country, including ones in Presque Isle, Bar Harbor, Rockland, and Augusta.
Thankfully, the Senate version of the bill did include an extension for EAS. So where are we now? The House and Senate are currently in negotiations on a final FAA bill, and a compromise is expected soon. The fate of the EAS program is one of the items conferees still need to iron out.
EAS needs to be extended, and it’s why I reached across the aisle to work with a Republican to show congressional leaders that the program enjoys bipartisan support.
On January 27th, Republican Congressman Adrian Smith of Nebraska joined me in writing a letter to the leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee urging them to preserve EAS in the final bill.
We told them in our letter that businesses need access to convenient and dependable air service. A company getting ready to expand its operations will not consider an inaccessible community. A business in rural America will have a harder time competing effectively if a lack of air service prevents access to the rest of the country.
But we don’t oppose reforming the EAS program. As with any federal program, Congress should constantly work to ensure it is spending taxpayer dollars as effectively as possible. However, simply sun-setting the existing program instead of pursuing meaningful reforms would do considerable damage to communities throughout the country. That’s exactly what the House bill did and what we need to stop.
We simply can’t afford to eliminate a critical tool the economies of rural communities depend on, particularly when we’re still feeling the effects of the recession. Members of the conference committee that are working to come up with a final compromise bill need to work in a bipartisan manner to ensure businesses in small, rural areas can continue to rely on air service supported by the EAS program. Not doing so would deal a major blow to communities in Maine and across the country.
