' ' 

## U.S. Departmenl of Transportation Office of the Secretary ofTransportation



## Ms. JenniferL. Hogancamp Airport**bire~tor- ~**  

## . .. · , . Assistant Secretary 

## July 3, 2012



## Beaumont/Port Arthur Jack Brooks Regional Airport 4875 Parker Drive Beaumont, TX 77705

Dear Ms. Hogancamp: 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590



## Thankyou for your letter addressed to Secretary LaHood supporting the proposal submitted by the Beaumont/Port Arthur Jack Brooks Regional Aiq1ort for a grant under the U.S. Department ofTransportation's Small Community Air Service Development Program. The Secretary has requested that I respond on his behalf.

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, although nomore 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 fupded.

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 are pending before the- · Department, I cannot comment onthe merits ofany particularproposal. I assure youthat the Department will give full and fair considerationto all proposals that have been properly filed.

As is ournormal 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,

Susan L. 

## Kurland Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs...!

..• 

## INTRODUCTORYLETTER**~~** JACK BROOi<S

### ~ REGIONALAIRPORT



### .,.

Jt..ne 

### 11,**20~2** 

### . Honcr.ablo**Ra~mond** H.**Lo:~Hood** Secre!<lry of Trarspor.aton lJ S Depa·tment of Tnuu;partation 1

## :mo NAw Jerfley Avenue SE \f','asl'.ington. DC 20590 . 

### -·"···· 

### ..**~** ..

4675 PARKf-'R O!WtBEI\IJ**~10NT,** IX / 11'05 rH: (LC9} 

### 7Hl-4000**F~.x·** (40H) /22-2830

RE: 9eaumontfPort 1\rthur Jack Or:>oks Regloral AirJ:·::trt Small GommurtJty Air Service Development Gra1t Proposal

Daar**St~crelarv** LaHoo:J: 

# 4 

# JACK BROOKS REGIONA

.. AIRPORT**~CIIIill** IOG:l!!Ail UJ.ll IIGI'!l.ll**~~rot~ Bea~m·ont:l"ort**  An1ur .Jack Hrnok1> Regiaual Airport s sut:mittlng 

### :1e atAJched pro::osal fer funding under the Small Community Air Service De•Jel::>pment Program. and lht> p•aposal fer Oeaurr.ont/Port Arthur Jack Br::>oks Reg onal Ai-port rreets the eligibility requirements of :he program.
We aro proposing a cro,ect !hilt would e1able the Airport tc de·Jelop Md**i"'''pleme~ll** a Marketing and advertis1ng program to promote use of the. eorrmunit>;'s cxistirg air seivice ard retcnn a r serv1ce over the lung-IE!Ifll. CLJrrentl'{. t11c communitts air service ir. operated**b~·** llr.i:eli**ElC~ress** to United's hJb at Houst::-n Intercontinental Airport. The 5-#I"'Jiee is cJrrcntly OJ:eroted 

### by Colgan Al• using Saao 340 turt:oprop a r:::ratt, and Cni:Jnn is**~lann•ng** to redre its r·eet of Saab aircraft in the near**hllur~. For!Lnaltil~·.**  Un ted plars to replace the Sasb**·se~::;e** with service operated by reglona. jets.

Successful implerrentation o' the**p~oposed** l'narketing and advertising program st:ould ·educe t·1e number uf passenga·s leaking :o the airports •n Houston.**~.lthcu·:Jh** demand hill!**~:-ear,** astimatod at more than 1,6-:iO passengers per day eacn way, less than 40 passengers per day each way are using the air serv1ce avai able at our local airport. Ur.ited Is taking a SLbstantial tin<incrt11 n:;k lO"Hpgrace tha turboprop sarvice·to··rcgioool jet seiVice, ond mo·e traffic must be generated to ensJre the regional jet service is a financial success. I 

### 1e level of :raftic**current!~** using 13eaumort/Po1**Arth~;r's** existing air service 

### w11!**~nrr.pl'i** 11ot he**su~f:l:i~nt** lc SJPC·:lrt**~eglonal** jet service ever the long-lerrr.

Sma·l C:)llltnJnity Atr**Scr~t:::o** D.::-.;elcpment fJnding is essential to th;a r.cmrrur.ity s goal of ersur.ng :he communi!'/ wi I retain its air service.

l hP. ..:nmmunity is appreciative 

### ot the oppo'tu1it'; t:> subm !'this proposal.·a11d we look for.vard :a the oossibility of a grant**<:~war:::. Sih:erel~•.** 

# :.)~--iv~~·.f:j). j

# -:A .J.Lca;;(_-'(U.JJ.r

. . 

# v :/**·~J** 

### :**J~r.nifer** L.**Hoga:~::am:l,** C.M.

. 

### /1. rport Director 3eaunonliPort Arth>Jr Jack Brooks Regi·onal Airport



### Jack Brooks Regional Airport; Beaumont, Texas Proposal Under the Small Community Air Service Development Program; Docket DOT-OST-2012-0069 4