### U.S. Department 

### of Transportation Office ofthe Secretary ofTransportation



### The Honorable Curt Moll Mayor ofCortland Cortland, OH 44410 

### Dear Mayor 

### Moll: Assistant Secretary 

### .July 3• 

### 2012 1200 NowJersoy Avonuo. SE Wasllinglon, DC 20590



### Thankyou for your letter addressed to Secretary LaHood supporting the proposal submitted by the Youngstown-

### Warren Regional Airportfor a grant underthe U.S. Departmentof**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. Underthe statute, the Department may make a maximum of40 grant awards each year, although no more 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 funded. On May IS, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interestep in receiving a grantthis year file their applications by June 11. As 

### these grant 

### requests are pending before the Department, I 

### cannot comment on the merits ofany particularproposal. I 

### assure you that the Department will 

### give full 

### and fair 

### consideration to all 

### proposals that have been property filed. As 

### is 

### ournormal practice, I 

### am 

### placing a 

### copy ofyour letter and this response in Docket**DOT~OST-2012-0069** 

### as a contactoutside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate yourinterest in this program.



## 510-120612-014 Sincerely yours,

usan L. 

### Kurland 

### Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs

# mm Mayor City ofCortland

June 4, 2012
The Honorable Ray LaHood Secretary ofTransportation 

### 400 North High Street, Cortland, Ohio 44410

U.S. Department ofTransportation 400 7th Street, SW, Room 640I Washington, DC 20590 

### Subject:**Youngstown~Warren** 

### Regional Airport Small CommunityAir Service DevelopmentProgram Grant Application Docket DOT**~OST-2012-0069** Dear Secretary LaHood:
We are writingto respectfillly express our support for the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport's grant application for funding under the Sinall Community Air Service Development Program. A successful grant application is one ofseveral steps in the Airport's proposed Passenger Service Enhancement Strategy to reestablished regularly scheduled commercial air service in the Youngstown-Warren-Sharoa metropolitan service area. During the past 15 years, the Airport has received in excess of$60 million from federal, state, and local government agencies for capital improvements. The local communityhas formed a vital partnership ofgovernments and private organizations and businesses through the creation ofthe Western Reserve Port Authority, which owns and manages the· Airport. Although thecommunity is strongly supportive ofthe Airport, the lack ofcompetitive pricing and quality air services in the past has n9w caused the Airport to be underutilized and has resulted in the 800,000 residents of.Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania to drive to Cleveland or Pittsburgh for their airtravel needs. 

### fu addition, larger airports now require an additional one totwo hours for airtravelers to secureparking and check through security systems. The success ofotherregional airports such as Akron-Canton clearly demonstrates thatthere is a viable place for small to midsize airports in the aviation industry. With the assistance ofthis grant, the Airpoxt would be able to offer superior air services at lower costs to the community and would contribute greatly to securing the future ofthe Airport. Congress developed this program specificallyto help communities like the Youngstown-Warren-Sharon metropolitan service area improve their business climate, spur economic development, and enhance the quality oflife through the development ofair service. TheYoungstown-Warren-Sharon metropolitan service area is the most concentrated manufacturing region in Ohio but has one ofthe highest unemployment rates ofany metropolitan area in Ohio. As the Airport is a critical component ofthe community's economic development strategy, failure to redevelop air service will only impede our ability to attract and retain employers to our community. Therefore, 

### it is imperative that our Airport is successful in securingfunding under the Small Community Air ServiceDevelopment Program.
We support and appreciate your positive consideration ofthe proposal for a Small CommunityAirService Development Program grant for the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport and the community it serves. Sincerely, 

# WM!f
Curt Moll Mayor 

### S10-12061:2-014