### TH E SECRETAR Y O F TRANSPORTATIO N WASHINGTON . D.C . 2059 0 Septembe r

09 , 201 1 

# wmno

F IH i 

# U •RATION :

The Honorable Bil l Cassidy U.S . Hous e o f

Representative s Washington , D

C 2051 5 Dea r Congressma

n Cassidy : Than k yo u fo r your lette r supportin g th e proposa

l submitte db

y th e Bato n Roug e Metropolita n Airpor t Authorit y fo r agrant under th e Smal l Communit

y Ai r Servic e Development

Program . Th e Smal l Communit

y Progra mwa s establishe dt

o hel p smaller communitie s addres s air

servic e deficiencies , particularl y issue s relate dto high airfare s an dinsufficien

t service . Unde

r th e statute , the U.S . Department o f Transportatio n ma

y mak e amaximumo f

4 0 grant award s each year , although n o mor e tha n 4 ma y b e t o communitie s in th e same State . I n orde r t o provide communitie s wit

h latitud e i n developin g solution s t o their air servic e deficiencies , the statut e allow s significan

t flexibilit y i n ho w the financial assistanc e ma y b e used . O n Jul y 1 , the Department

issue da n orde r requestin g tha

t communitie s intereste di

n receivin g a gran t thi s yea r file thei r application s b

y Augus t 2 . A s thes e grant

request s are pendin g befor e the Department , I a

msure yo u understan dtha t I canno t commen t o n th e merit s o f

any particula

r proposal . I ca

n assure you , however , tha t the Departmen

t will giv e ful

l consideratio n t

o all proposal s tha

t hav e been properl y filed. A s i s ou r norma l practice , 1 a

mplacin g aco ^ o f

you r lette r an dthi s respons e in Docke

t DOT-OST-2011-011 9 a s acontac t outsidi?^ e recor

dof thi s matter . I appreciate your interes t i n thi s program . I f

I ca n provid e furthe

r ijjffgrmatio

n o r assistance , pleasj>*^e

l free to call me .

## S I 0-110826-00 3

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# Hous e of'Representatioe s 'DDoBlnnston.B C 2051 5 Augus t 2nd , 201 1 Honorabl e Raymon dH . LaHoo d Secretary , Unite dState s Departmen t o f Transportatio n 40 0 Sevent h Street , S W Roo m1020 0 Washington , D C 2059 0 Dea r Secretai y LaHood : I a mwritin 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 r th e Departmen t

o f Transportation' s Smal l Communit y Ai r Servic e Developmen t

Progra m(SCASDP ) fo r

nonsto p flight s t o Washington , DC . Th e Bato n Roug e Metropolita n Airpor t i s on e o f th e economi c pillar s fo r

th e Bato n Roug e area , providin g th e globa l ai r transportatio n tha t

i s vita l fw busines s developmen t an dtrade . I n 2010 , th e Bato n Roug e Metr o Airpor t experience dyear-over yea r enplanemen t

growt h o f ove r 9% , reversin g athree-yea r declin e i n passenge r

enplanements . A s th e secon dlarges t cit y i n Louisian aan dth e stat e capital , i t i s importa mtha t

thi s growt h b e sustaine da s acatalys t t o furthe r econonu c developmen t Th e Washingto n metr o are ai s th e thir dlarges t airlin e origi n an ddestinatio n (O&D ) marke t fo r Bato n Rouge , an dth e larges t withou t nonsto p service . Additionally , nonsto p servic e fro man dt o stat e capital s i s particularl y Importan t Suc h arout e ha s nationa l an dstatewid 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 dth e importanc e o f

nonsto p servic e fo r

th e state' s capital , Washingto n flight s ar e neede db y virtuall y al l to p employer s i n th e Bato n Roug e regmn . Thes e includ e anumbe r o f Fortun e 100 0 conqianie s headquartere di n Bato n Roug e suc h a s Th e Sha w Grou p an dAlbemarl e Corporation . Th e Bato n Roug e are ai s amajo r facto r i n th e petrochemica l indusu^ . ExxonMobi l operate s th e 2n dlarges t

refiner y i n Nort h Americ ahere , an dman y othe r industr y gian u hav e productio n facilitie s i n th e region . Washingto n i s als o ato p destinatio n fo r th e medica l industr y an dare auniversities , includin g Louisian aStat e Universit y an d Souther n University . I t i s m y understandin g tha t

Bato n Roug e t o Washingto n servic e i s unde r consideratio n b y U S Airway s t o Washington-Reaga n (DCA ) an dUnited/Continenta l t o Washington-Dulle s (IAD) . Th e additio n o f incentive s throug h th e Smal l Communit y Ai r Servic e Developmen t

Progra mcoul dmak e th e differenc e i n securin g thi s servic e for Bato n Rouge . Give n th e significan t

economi c benefit s nonsto p Washingto n flight s wil l generat e fo r Greate r Bato n Rouge , I appreciat e you r consideratio n o f

th e Airpor t

Authority' s SCASD P application . Sincerely , 

# il:llC ^

Bil l Cassid y Membe r o f Congres s