d 

US. Department of 

Transportation 

Assistant Secretary 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Office Of the Secretary 

of Transportation September 9, 2011 

CO r-VOr 

The Honorable Jonathan Weinzapfel 

Mayor of Evansville 

Evansville, IN 47708-1833 ^"^ rn^ ^ 

> S^ ^ 

Dear Mayor Weinzapfel: -.9 '^r^-7^'"^ 

Thank you for your letter to Secretary LaHood supporting the proposal submitted 6y the 

Evansville-Vanderburgh Airport Authority District for a grant under the Small 

Community Air Service Development Program (Small Community Program). The 

Secretary has asked that I respond on his behalf 

The Small Community Program was established to help smaller communities address air 

service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares and insufficient service. 

Under the statute, the Department may use the funds to make a maximum of 40 grant 

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

In order to provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service 

deficiencies, the statute provides significant flexibility in how the financial assistance 

may be used. 

On July 1, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in 

receiving a grant this year file their applications by August 2. As these grant requests are 

pending before the Department, I am sure you understand that I cannot comment on the 

merits of any particular proposal. I assure you, however, that the Department will give 

fiill consideration to all proposals that have been properly filed. 

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

DOT-OST-2011-0119 as a contact outside the record of this matter. I appreciate your 

interest in this program. If I can provide further information or assistance, please feel 

fi-ee to call me. 

Sincerely yours. 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
'^i:^C\ SI 0-110808-030 

CWT 

CITY OF EVANSVILLE 

ONE N.W. MARTIN LUTHER KING. JR. BLVD. •ROO M 302 

OFRCeOFTMEMAVOW EVANSVILLE, INDIANA 47708-1 833 

JONATHAN WEINZAPFEL <812) 436-406S • FAX (812) 430-4968 •TDO/TTY (812) 436-4928 

www.EvanuvilleGov org 

August 1,2011 

The Honoiable RayiiK»)d H. LaHcKxl 

^cr^ ^ oflVanspoctatiOD 

V.S. Depanmsttt of Tfanspoftation 

400 Seventh Street, SW 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Desu- Secretary LaHood: 

On behalf of the Cily of Evansville, I am writing to expr^s ray support for the Small 

Coramunity Air Service I>evelopment Grant (SCASDG) application submitted by the 

Evaisville-Vmideiburgh AiriKtft Authority District. A vibrant aiiport with good air 

savi(» is important to re^onal tsislness and vital to the healthy growth of the local 

community. As such, we n€»d more efficient and firesquent air txmspotmion in and out of 

the Evansville Regional AirptMt. 

In f&osnt years, HMS airlines have scaled teck serv!<» in response to the reo^ion, making 

everyday business travel: increasingly riifiRcuit. Thmgb our commuiul^ has taken a 

proacdve approdich ta doiti^ iHisiness intemati^aUyi we are experiencing fewer and 

fewer flints in and out olEvansville, making ithanjlerfor U3i%!matk}n;ad visit(»^ to travel 

to ow region. Tlie l^k of avaiMjle flights and limited number of carriers have aJso 

incieas«} locad f^es to tl^ point that many p&aphi ^r% forced to drive two-to-diree iKmrs 

one way to fly out of <Aher airports. 

This grant wcwld give our airport management a valuable tool to sell our community to 

new tMit^ , pattic^ariy within the Star Alliance, so that we^pear m the intematltmal 

map. Adding a CKW carrier wiU also help fertng fares down to a mme manageable level, 

thus sUmulating the local travel mari^ and iKjlstering our local eccKKMny. 

Thank you for your time and ttaoughtAil (xinsldoation. 

t 

Sinc«ely, 

jfonatban Weinzapfel v-/ .. : ,; •.;, , 

Mayor 

cv 

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