Controversy Д¬ritics question the economic and environmental efficiency of the service. The Department of Transportation, pursuant to the Consolidated and Further Appropriations Act of 2015, is required to negotiate a local cost share with communities located less than 40 miles (64В km) from a small hub airport. The criteria for 10 or more enplanements can be waived by the Secretary of Transportation, on an annual basis, if a community can demonstrate that it is due to a temporary decline. Pursuant to the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, to be eligible for the program, a community in the contiguous 48 states must either maintain an average of 10 or more enplanements per service day or be located more than 175 miles (282В km) from the nearest large or medium hub airport. Pursuant to the Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2000, no community within the 48 contiguous states may receive a subsidy greater than $200 per passenger unless the community is more than 210 miles (340В km) from the nearest large or medium hub airport. Д®AS subsidies have increased by more than 500% since 1997, not accounting for inflation. By March 2021, the subsidies amounted to $339.19 million per year.

The Congressional Research Service has reported in 2018 that since the early 2000s federal subsidies for the EAS have nearly tripled to almost $300 million per year. The Heritage Foundation argued in 2014 that rural airports should receive no federal subsidies through the Essential Air Service program rather, state and local governments that value the air services should support them. Bush Administration sought to reduce the cost of the program to $50 million by stricter eligibility criteria and requiring the local governments of the areas served to contribute to the cost. These increases occurred despite numerous Congressional measures to contain program spending. The decision as to what degree of subsidized service a community requires is made based on identifying a specific hub for the community and from there determining the number of trips, seats, and type of aircraft that are necessary to serve that hub. As of June 1, 2015, 159 communities in the US received EAS subsidies, of which 44 were in Alaska, two in Hawaii, and one in Puerto Rico.

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) subsidizes airlines to serve communities across the country that otherwise would not receive scheduled air service. Its aim is to maintain a minimal level of scheduled air service to these communities that otherwise would not be profitable. government program enacted to guarantee that small communities in the United States, which had been served by certificated airlines prior to deregulation in 1978, maintained commercial service. hosting Essential Air Service destinations, as of December 2011 Д®ssential Air Service ( EAS) is a U.S.

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