e • r-,'p <ri . v'EMT 0\ 

v^^ORTATION 

US.D«partmenror .•,::i UiERAiiON S 1200 New jersey Avenue, SE 

ThmsportOtio n Washington, DC 20590 

Office Of the Secretary -M rp ^-Q n ? "5 ~ 

of Transportation • '• ' " "' '-' -^ ^ 

SEP 2 1 2011 

The Honorable Ted Harhai 

Pennsylvania House of Representatives 

Harrisburg, PA 17120-2058 

Dear Mr. Harhai: 

Thank you for your letter supporting the proposal submitted by the Westmoreland County 

Airport Authority for a grant under the Small Community Air Service Development 

Program (Small Community Program). 

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 fimds to make a maximvmi 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 

full 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 fiirther information or assistance, please feel 

fi^ee to call me. 

Sincerely yours, 

Aloha Ley 

Associate Director 

Small Community Program 
R.TED HARHAI, MEMBER 

32 EAST WING 

PO BOX 202058 

HARRISBURG PA 17120-2058 

PHONE: (717) 772-2820 

FAX; (717) 772-0745 

COMMITTEES 

MONESSEN OFFICE 

1 200 MARONOA WAY 

SUITE 401 

MONESSEN PA 1 5062 

PHONE: (724.) 684-2939 

FAX: (724) 684-6613 

HERMINIE OFFICE 

308 SEWICKLEY AVENUE 

HERMINIE PA 15367 

PHONE: (724)446-4288 

FAX: (724) 446-4289 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA 

HARRISBURG 

July 19, 2011 

TRANSPORTATION 

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES 

AND ENERGY -

MAJORITY SUBCOMMITTEE 

CHAIR ON MINING 

LIQUOR CONTROL 

LOCALGOVERNMENT -

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ON BOROUGHS 

HOUSE MAJORITY POLICY 

COMMITTEE 

Aloha Ley 

Associate Director 

Small Community Air Service Development Program, X-55 

U. S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Dear Ms. Ley: 

I am writing to lend my support to the Westmoreland County Airport Authority's request 

for funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Small Community Air 

Service Development program to expand the scheduled air service that has shown 

phenomenal promise at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. 

The authority has seen dramatic success with the launch of Spirit Airlines service to Fort 

Lauderdale, FL and Myrtle Beach, SC, moving more than 30,000 passengers through 

Arnold Palmer Regional in less than five months. Load factors have proven 

unprecedented at the airport, averaging in the high 80% and mid 90% ranges. The 

airline is now considering additional destinations to augment this thriving operation, and 

asks only for assistance in marketing the new routes. 

These efforts are heavily dependent upon marketing efforts that the airline has proven 

successful. Grant funding through the SCASD program is critical to supporting these 

efforts to expand service and bolstering a priceless economic asset to the communities 

the airport serves. 

Your favorable review of this application would be greatly appreciated. 

Should you wish to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Sincerely, 

StaJe-RepreseriJ^tive Ted Harhai 

5S» Legislative/District