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US.Departmen t o f " " :^Fi'0?ERA>1I0'^ 3 Transportatio n Offic e o f th e Secretar

y -- M • r p ? q O / : 3 3 ofTronsportofio n ' ' - ' " 120 0 Ne w Jersey Avenue , S E Washington , D C 2059 0



### SE P 2 1 20) 1 Th e Honorable Joseph A
. Petrarc a Pennsylvani aHous e o

f Representative s Harrisburg , P

A 17120-205 5 Dea r Mr
. Petrarca : Than k yo u fo r you r lette r supportin g th e proposa

l submitte db

y the Westmorelan

dCount y Airpor t Authorit y fo r agran t unde r the Smal l Communit

y Ai r Servic e Developmen

t Progra m(Smal l Communit

y Program)
. Th e Smal l Communit

y Progra mwa s establishe dt

o hel p smalle r communitie s addres s air servic e deficiencies , particularl y issue s relate dt o high airfare s an

dinsufficien

t service
. Unde r th e statute , th e Departmen

t ma y us e the funds to mak

e amaximu

mo f 4 0 gran t award s eac h year , although n o mor

e tha n fou r ma y b e to commimitie s in th e sam e State
. I n orde r to provide communitie s wit h latitude i n developin g solution s to their ai r servic e deficiencies , the statut

e provide s significan

t flexibilit y i n ho w th e financia

l assistanc e ma y b e used
. O n Jul y 1 , th e Departmen

t issue da n orde r requestin g tha

t communitie s intereste di

n receiving agran

t thi s yea r file their application s b

y Augus t 2
. A s thes e gran

t request s ar

e pending befor

e th e Department , I a

msur e yo u understandtha

t I cannot commen t on the merit s o f an y particula r proposal
. I assur

e you , however , tha

t the Departmen

t will give ful l consideratio n to all proposal s tha t hav e bee n properl y filed. A s i s ou r norma l practice , I a

mplacin g acop

y o f you r lette r an dthi s respons e in Docke

t DOT-OST-2011-011 9 a s acontac t outside the recor

dof thi s matter . I appreciat

e you r interes t in thi s program . If

I ca n provide furthe

r information o

r assistance , pleas e fee

l fre e to cal l me . Sincerel y yours ,

AlohaLe y Associat e Directo r Smal l Communit

y Progra m\ JOSEP H A
. PETRARC A 22 0 IRVIS OFFIC E BUILDIN G P.O
. BO X 20205 5 HARRISBURG , PENNSYLVANI A 17120-205 5 PHONE : (717)787-614 2 • FAX : (717)705-201 4

23 9 LONGFELLO W STREE T VANDERGRIFT , PENNSYLVANI A 1569 0 PHONE : (724 ) 567-698 2 • FAX : (724 ) 567-000 6 COMMITTEE S AGRICULTUR E & RURA L AFFAIRS , DEMOCRATI C CHAIRMA N POLIC Y APPOINTMENT S 

## GD C



# . 1

ORGA NDONATIONADVISORY BOAR D

MEMBE R 62 0 NORT H CHESTNU T STREE T DERRY , PENNSYLVANI A 1562 7 PHONE : (724 ) 694-529 8 • FAX : (724 ) 694-875 3 LATROB E MUNICIPA L BUILDIN G 90 1 JEFFERSO N STREE T LATROBE , PENNSYLVANI A 1565 0 PHONE : (724 ) 539-756 0 • FAX : (724 ) 539-108 1 

# Puug ^ o f ^prcsentalte s COMMONWEALT

H O F PENNSYLVANI

A HARRISBURG Jul y 18 , 201 1 SOUTHWES T CAUCU S NORTHWES T CAUCU S SPORTSMEN' S CAUCU S FIREFIGHTER S CAUCU S SUBSTANC E ABUS E CAUCU S COA L CAUCU S RURA L CAUCU S STEE L CAUCU S Aloh a Le y Associat e Directo r Smal l Communit

y Ai rService Developmen t Program , X-5 5 U.S
. Departmen t o

f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jersey Ave. , S E Washington , D.C
. 2059 0 Dea rMs
. Ley : I a m writin g thi s lette ri n suppor t o f th e Westmorelan d Count y Airpor t Authority' s request fo r fundin g throug h th e U.S
. Departmen t o f Transportation' s Smal l Communit y Ai rService Developmen t progra m t o expan d th e schedule d ai rservice that has show n phenomena l promis e a t Arnol d Palme rRegiona l Airport
. Th e authorit

y has see n dramati c succes s wit h th e launc h o f Spiri t Airline s servic e t o For t Lauderdale , FL , an d Myrtl e Beach , SC , movin g mor e tha n 30,00 0 passenger s throug h Arnol d Palme rRegiona l i n les s tha n fiv e months
. Load factor s hav e prove n unprecedente d a t th e airport , averagin g i n th e hig h 80 % an d mi d 90 % ranges . Th e airlin e i s no w considerin g additiona l destination s t o augmen t thi s thrivin g operation , an d ask s onl y fo rassistanc e i n marketin g th e ne

w routes
. Thes e effort s are heavil y dependen t upo n th e marketin g that has prove n successfu l fo rth e airline
. Gran t fundin g throug h th e SCAS D progra m i s critica l t o supportin g thes e effort s t o expan d servic e an d bolsterin g a priceles s economi c asset t o th e communitie s th e airpor t serves . You rconsideratio n an d favorabl e review o f thi s applicatio n woul d b e greatl y appreciated
. Shoul d yo u wis h t o discus s thi s further , pleas e d o no t hesitat e t o contac

t me . Sincerely , Jojfep h A
. Petrarca , Membe r Pennsylvani a Hous e o

f Representative s JAP/b r

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