f 

THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTOI'J DC 20590 

The Honorable Kay R. Hagan 

United States Senate 

Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Senator Hagan: 

July 17, 2012 

Thank you for your letter supporting the proposal submitted by the Asheville Regional Airport 

for a grant under the U.S. Department of Transportation's Small Community Air Service 

, Development Program. 

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 maximum of 40 grant 

awards each year, although no more than 4 awards 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 flexibility 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 II. As these grant requests are pending before the 

Department, I cannot comment on the merits of any particular proposal. I assure you that the 

Department will give full and fair consideration to all proposals that have been properly filed. 

As is our normal practice, I am placing a c 

DOT-OST-2012-0069 as a contact outsid 

this program. 

fyour letter and this respon 

record of this matter. I aP. te your interest in 
KAY A. I-lAGAN 

. NOR HI CAROLINA 

·~:tnitcd ~totes ~cnatc WASHINGTON, DC 20510 

The Honorable Ray LaHood, Secretary 

U.S. Depm1ment of Transportation 

400 71

h Street, SW Room 10200 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

Jtme 7,.2012 

701 GRfEN VALlEY AOAO, SUITE 101 

GRHN:>OOI10. tiC 27•106 

!3'61 JJJ .. S31 I 

It has recently come to my attention that the Asheville Regional Airport has submitted to your 

office an application for funding through the Small Community Air Service Development grant 

program. 

Nestled in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina (WNC), the City of Asheville is a 

vibrant city that is a frequent tourist destination for North Carolinians and visitors to the state. In 

addition to the cultural and recreational asse.t$ that Asheville boasts, the City also con#nues to 

diversify its economic footprint by recruiting ~:msiness and industry from across the country. The 

Asheville area is rapidly growing, and enhanced air service is imperative to the economic vitality 

ofthe area. ., .: .. 

Western North Carolina has a noted connection to the Denver market- both from a leisure and 

business travel perspective. I understm1d that 5% of inbound travelef:s:come from Colorado, and 

many more from other western states. There has also been a significant increase in business 

development in Asheville from Colorado and western state-based businesses. Recently, two 

Colorado-based breweries announced plans to build operations in the Asheville service area and 

this is a market that has great potential in WNC. 

I understand that the Asheville Regional Airport has recently suffered the loss of low-cost air 

catTier AirTran Airways, and as a result, the airport has seen airfares begin to rise to levels much 

greater than their competitors. The Asheville Regional Airport has put together a two-told plan 

to mitigate the rising air fares they are experiencing due to the loss of AirTran. The requested 

funds through this grant program wiJl facilitate their efforts to implement this plari, and lay the 

groundwork for further growth in the Asheville area. 

With this in mind, I encourage the full and fair consideration of the Asheville Regional Airport's 

proposal as expeditiously as possible, consistent with your statutory and regulatory guidelines. 

Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact Chris Sgro of my staff at (336) 333-

5311, extension 27. 

~Y·e~~ 

, ~(R. Hagan ;;I 

United States Senator 

: 510-120613-022