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n Septembe r 9 , 201 1 Th e Honorabl e Melvi n L . Holde n Mayor-Presiden t

o f Bato n Roug e , :::o C O •-nO ~ 

### Bato n Rouge , L A 7082 1 ' ^ ^ -"^^- ^ Dear Mayor-Presiden t

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### , g pC O Thank yo u for you r lette r t o Secretary LaHoo dsupportin g th e proposa l submitte db^h e -- ^ Greate r Bato n Roug e Airport

Distric t for agran t unde r th e Smal l Community Ai r Servic e Developmen t

Progra m(Smal l Community Program) . Th e Secretary ha s aske dthat I respon do nhi s behal f Th e Smal l Community Progra mwas establishe dt o hel p smalle r communitie s addres s ai r servic e deficiencies , particularl y issue s relate dt o hig hairfare s an dinsufficien t service . Unde r th e statute , th e Departmen t ma y us e th e fund s t o mak e amaximu mo f 4 0 gran t award s eac hyear , althoug hn o mor e tha nfour may b e t o communitie s i nth e sam e State . I n orde r t o provid e conununitie s withlatitud e i ndevelopin g solution s t o thei r ai r servic e deficiencies , th e statut e provide s significan t flexibility i nho w th e financial assistanc e may b e used . O nJul y 1 , th e Departmen t issue da norde r requestin g that

commimitie s intereste di n receivin g agran t

thi s year file thei r application s b y Augus t

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request s ar e pendin g before th e Department , I amsur e yo u understan dtha t I canno t commen t

o nth e merit s o f an y particular

proposal . I assur e you , however , tha t th e Departmen t

wil l giv e full consideratio n t o al l proposal s tha t hav e bee nproperl y filed. A s i s ou r norma l practice , I amplacin g acop y o f you r lette r an dthi s respons e i nDocke t DOT-OST-2011-011 9 a s acontac t outsid e th e recor do f

thi s matter . I appreciat e you r interes t i nthi s program . I f

I can provid e fiirther

informatio no r

assistance , pleas e fee l fi"ee t o cal l me . • —- - Sincerel y yours , - ^

SusanL . Kurlan d Assistan t Secretary for Aviatio nan dInternationa l Affair sSI()-ll()S26-00 ; Offic e o f th e Mayor-Presideo t CityorUMdnKoug e Paris horfuu i Uaou

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3 MELVJ N L "KIP " irOLDE N Ma}'or-Preside m

July 28,201 1

Honorabl e Raymon d H . LaHoo d Secretary , Unite d State s Departmen t o f Transportatio n 40 0 Sevent hStreet , SW Roo m 1020 0 Washington . D C 2059 0 Dea rSecretar yLaHood : I a m writin g i n suppor t o f th e Bato n Roug e Metropolita n Airpor t Authority' s applicatio n t o secur e fundin g unde rth e Departmen t o f Transportation' s Smal l Communit yAi rServic e Developmen t Progra m (SCASDP) fo rnonsto p flight s t o Washington , DC . Th e Bato n Roug e IMetropoiita n Airpor t i s on e o f th e economi cpillar s fo rth e Bato n Roug e area , providin g th e globa l ai rtransportatio n tha t i s vita l fo rbusines s developmen t an d trade . I n 2010 , th e Bato n Roug e Metr o Airpor t experience d year-over-yea renplanemen t growt h o f ove r996 , reversin g a three-yea rdeclin e i n passenge renplanements . As th e secon d larges t cit yi n Louisian a an d th e stat e capital , i t i s importan t tha t thi s growt h b e sustaine d a s a catalys t t o furthe reconomi cdevelopmen t Th e Washingto n metr o are a i s th e thir d larges t airlin e origi n an d destinatio n (O&D ) marke t fo rBato n Rouge , an d th e larges t withou t nonsto p service . Additionally , nonsto p servic e fro m an d t o stat e capital s i s particularl yimportan t Suc h a rout e ha s nationa l an d statewid e importance , bu t Bato n Roug e remain s on e o f th e larges t stat e capital s withou t nonsto p service . Beyon d th e importanc e o f nonsto p servic e fo rth e state' s capital , Washingto n flight s ar e neede d b y virtuall yal t to p employer s i n th e Bato n Roug e region . Thes e includ e a numbe ro f Fortun e 100 0 companie s headquartere d i n Bato n Roug e suc h a s Th e Sha wGrou p an d Mbemarl e Corporation . Th e Bato n Roug e are a i s a majo rfacto ri n th e petrochemica l industry . ExxonMobi l operate s th e 2n d larges t refiner yi n Nort h Americ a here , an d man yothe rindustr ygiant s hav e productio n facilitie s i n th e region . Washingto n i s als o a to p destinatio n fo rth e medica l industr yan d are a universities , includin g LS U an d Souther n University .

ON EBATO N ROUG Ei S OETTE R

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Honorabl e Raymon d H . LaHoo d Jul y28,201 1 Pag e tw o I t i s m yunderstandin g tha t Bato n Roug e t o Washingto n servic e i s unde rconsideratio n b yU S Airway s t o Washingto n Reaga n an d United/COntinenta l t o Washingto n Dulles . Th e additio n o f incentive s throug h th e Smal l Communit yAi rServic e Developmen t Progra m coul d mak e th e differenc e i n securin g thi s servic e fo rBato n Rouge . Give n th e significan t economi cbenefit s nonsto p Washingto n flight s wil l generat e fo rGreate rBato n Rouge , I appreciat e you rfevorabie consideratio n o fth e Airpor t Authority' s SCASD P application . Sincerely , Melvi n L "Kip " Holde n Mayor-Presiden t