Q"LJ \{@EJ 

U.S. Department Assistant Secretary 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

Mr. Gary P. Hinkson 

City Manager 

City of Hermitage 

800 North Hermitage Road 

Hermitage, PA 16148 

Dear Mr. Hinkson: 

July 3, 2012 

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

the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport for a grant under 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 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 11. 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 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 

thi~ program. 

Sincerely yours, 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
Office of the City Manager 

City of Herrnitage (~> (,: 

800 North Herm1tage Road, Hermttuge, Pennsylv<Jnra 16148 

Phone: 724-981-0800 Fax 724-983-1922 ghinkson@hermitage.net WVvw.herrnitage.net 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department ofTranspmtation 

400 7111 Street, SW, Room 6401 

Washington, DC 20590 

June 7, 2012 

Subject: Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport 

Small Community Air Service Development Program Grant Application 

Docl{et DOT -OST -2012-0069 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

We are \'v'Iiting to respectfully express our support for the Y pungstown-Warren Regional 

Airport's grant application for funding under the Small Community Air Service Development 

Program. A success1ul grant application is one of several steps in the Ahvort's proposed 

Passenger Service ·Enhancement Strategy tp reestablished regularly scheduled commercial air 

service in tht? Youngstown-Warren-Sharon metropolitan service ax~a. 

. . 

During the past 15 years, the Airport has .received in excess of $60 million from federal, state, 

and local government, agencies for capital improvements. Th,e loyal. co~munity has formed a 

vital partnership of governments and private organizations and businesses' through the creation of 

the Western Reserve Port Authority, which owns and manages the Airport. Although the 

community is strongly supp01tive of the Ahport, the lack of competitive pricing and quality air· 

services in the past has now caused the Airpmt to be underutilized and has resulted in the 

800,000 residents of Eastem Ohio and Westem Pennsylvania to drive to Cleveland or Pittsburgh 

for their air travet needs. In addition, larger airports now require an additional one to two hours 

for air travelers ,to secure parking and check through security systems. The success of other 

regional airports such as Akron-Canton clearly demonstrates that there is a viable place for small 

to midsize airports in the aviation industry. With the assistance of this grant, the Airport would 

be able· to offer superior air services at lower costs to the community and would contribute 

greatly to securing the future of the Airpmt. . . 

Congress developed this program spedfkally to help communities Hke the Youngstown-Wan·enSharon metropolitan service area improve their business climate, spur economic development, 

and enhance the quality of life through the development of air service. The Youngstown-Warren-

., 

510-120614-005 
The Honorable Ray LaHood 

June 7, 2012 

Page 2 

Sharon metropolitan service area is the most concentrated manufacturing region in Ohio but has 

one of the highest unemployment rates of any metropolitan area in Ohio. As the Airport is a 

critical component of the 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 securing funding under the Small Community 

Air Service Development Program. 

We Support and appreciate your positive consideration of the proposal for a Small Community 

Air Service Development Program grant for the Youngstown-Wan-en Regional Airport and the 

community it serves. 

Sincerely yours, 

.. 

GPH!bal 

c: Daniel J. Dickten, AAE, Director of Aviation 

S10-120614-005