'·. 

U.S. Deportment . 

of Transportation 

Office of the Secretory 

of Transportation 

The Honorable Patsy Keever 

N.C. House ofReprcser1tatives . 

16 W;·Jones Street 

Raleigh, NC 2760 I 

Dear Ms. Keever: 

Assistant Socrctary 

July 3, 2012 

1200 New Jersey Avenue. SE 

washir.gton. DC 20590 

Thank you for your letter addressed to Secretary LaHood supporting the proposal submitted by 

the Asheville· Regional Airport for a grnntundcr the U.S. Department of Transportation'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. Under the statute, the Department may make a ma-ximum of 40 grant 

awards each year, although no more than 4 awards may be to communities in the sumc State. 

In order to provide comrpunitics vvith lll.,titude in developing solutions to their air service 

deficiencies, the statute provides llexibility in the types of projects that can be funded. 

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 arc pending before the 

Department, I cannot comment oi1 the mt:tits of any particular proposal. I assure you that the 

D~:partment will give full and fair consideration to all proposals that have been properly tiled. 

As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2012-0069 as a contact outside the record of this matter. I appreciate your interest in 

this program. 

Sincerely, yours, 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation und International Affairs 

. , ... •' ... 
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~.art~ <Uarolina (~~mrru l\rux.emhllJ 

~ous2 of ~pr£s£nbdiues 

REPRESENTATIVE PATSY KEEVER 

I 15TH OIS~RICT 

O~~ICE AODR£98: 1317 L.EGISLATIV£ BUII.OING 

16 W. JONES STREET 

RALEIGH, NC 27601·1096 

Ttt.EPHONI!: (919) 733·6743 

(9 I 9) 754·3244 Filii 

EMAit.: patsy.keever@ncfeg.net 

DISTRICT: BUNC:OMBK COUNTY 

' .,. ·~-.h .. .' \ '~ ~ 

The Honorable Ray LaHood, Secretary 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 71

h Street, SW Room 10200 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

June 4, 2012 

COMMITTEES: 

AGRICULTU11E 

APPROPRIATIONS 

APPROPRIATIONS JUSTICE ANO PUBLIC SAFETY 

_ .• ENVI'RONMeNT 

GOVI!RNMENT 

STAT!! PERSONNEL 

I am pleased to write in strong support of the Asheviile Regional Airport's Small Community Air Service 

Development Grant, which will allow for new and improved service in the w.estem region of our state. Our region is 

growing, and enhanced air service is imperative to the economic vitality of the area. Quality air service aids our 

economy through improved access for visitors, tourism and is important to business growth and retention. 

The western region has a noted connection to the Denver market- both from a leisure and business travel 

perspective. We know that 5% of inbound travelers come from CoJorado,.and many more from the west. Also, 

significant business development• is occurring by Colorado- and western state-based businesses in the Western North 

Carolina region. Enhanced air service to and from Denver and western states is a positive fiit for the direction of 

growth this region is experiencing. 

The Asheville Regional Airport has put together a two-fold plan to mitigate the rising air fares they are experiencing 

due to the loss of AlrTran Airways this year. The plan focuses on attracting another low-cost air service provider to 

serve the Denver market, and potentially additional markets lost when AirTran was acquired by Southwest. Second, 

the plan ensures that sufficient marketing will occur to support the new low-fare carrier's success in the WNC 

market, and includes a focus on strengthening the newly formed travel advisory group. Thank you for your 

consideration of the Asheville Regional Airport's grant request. · 

Sincerely, 

Oa:-br~ :&.e.uv-J Representat~ve Patsy Keever , 

NC House District 115- Buncombe County 

PUTTTNG PEOPLE FIRST