## i^ffm h TH E SECRETARY O F TRANSPORmriO N ^S^Qfi f ATR ! !^—.^ ^

WASHINGTON , D.C
. 2059 0 ; - 1 O^f^RaTiOV O


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### -:^ ' 

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### A q : 3 0 Septembe r

09 , 201 1



### The Honorabl e Kirste n E
. Gillibran d Unite dState s Senate Washington , D C 2051 0 Dea r Senator Giliibrand : Than k you fo r your letter supportin g th e proposa

l submitte db

y the Albany International Airpor t fo r agran t unde r th e Smal l Communit

y Ai r Servic e Developmen

t 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 dt o high airfare s an dinsufTicien

t service
. Unde

r th e statute , th e U.S
. Departmen t o f Transportatio n ma

y mak e amaximu mo f

4 0 grant award s eac h year , although n o more tha n 4 ma y b e to 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 thei r ai r servic e deficiencies , th e statut e allow s significan

t flexibility in ho w th e financial assistanc e ma y b e used
. O n Jul y 1 , th e 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 gran

t request s ar e pendin g befor e the Department , i a

msur e yo u understan dtha

t 1 canno t commen t o n th e merit s o f

an y particula

r proposal
. 1 ca

n assure you , however , tha t th e Departmen

t will giv e ful

l consideratio n to all proposal s tha

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

mplacin g acop y c^you r

letter an dthi s respons e in Docke t DOT-OST-2011-011 9 a s acontac t outsid e tluniecor

do f thi s matter . I apmjjciat

e you r interes t i n thi s program . I

f I ca n provid e furthe t

infonmaiio

n or assistance , pleas e J^/fre e t o call me .S I 0-110808-0 1

Kl?STENE,.GILLIBRAN D cuwMintts :

SENA10 R *GHicunun i SltiCIW
. COMM!t« £ O N Offw ; (ll.SSE.l l StNJJ f CftK t B D vCn^i C sv n i n 

# lanitt

d3mte B Senat e poc/ r WASHINGTON , D

C 20510-320 5 [ Augus t 2 , 201 1 Th e Honorabl e Ra y LaHoo d Secretarj ' o f

Transportatio n U.S
. Departmen t

o f Transportatio n Washington , D C 2059 0 Dea r Secretar y LaHood , 1 writ e i n suppor t

o f Alban y Internationa l Airport' s (AIA ) applicatio n fo r fundin g fromth e Airpor t

Smal l Comniunit)

- Ai t

Sen-ic e Dcvxlopmcn t

Gran t throug h tli c U.S
. Departmen t

o f Transportation
. Thi s fundmg wil l b e use dt o increas e essentia l 5er\'icc s a t th e airport s o i t ca n bette r

suppor t local regional economi c expansion
. I n recen t years , ai r servic e an dpassenge r

volum e a t th e AI A ha s declined , du e largel y t o air carrie r consolidatio n an dair

servic e capacit) ' cutback s sparke db y aweakene deconomy an drisin g £u dprices
. A s aresult , Ne w York' s Capito l Regio n ha s bee n lef t with highe r

tha n averag e ai r

fare s tha t threate n th e airport' s ability ' t o mee t th e curren t

an dfutur e ai r

servic e requirement s o f

it s busines s communit} ^ and , mor e broadly , th e region' s capacitj ' t o sustai n economi c growth
. I n fact , o f th e several high-tec h companie s tha t hav e relocate dt o dii s region , man y d o no t

utiliz e th e airpor t

du e t o di e hig h cos t

o f flying fro mtha t

location
. Thi s fundin g woul dhel p th e AI A attrac t ane w low-fare carrie r

o r expan dciurren

t service s t o kee p pac e wit h th e growin g need s o f tli e area' s busines s community
. B y expandin g service , thi s projec t woul dallo w th e regio n t o mee t th e need s o f

nearb y high-tec h companies , a s wel l a s attrac t ne w businesses , man

y o f whic h requir e th e convenienc e o f a major airport
. Tlii s projec t

i s no t onl y critica

l fo r ensurin g affordabl e an daccessibl e ai r service s for

are aresidents , bu t

als o fo r th e sustaine deconomi c developmen t o f Ne w York' s Capito l Region
. I as k tha t yo u pleas e giv e thi s applicatio n your ful l considcrauon
. If

yo u hav e an

y questions , o r

desir e furthe r

informadon , pleas e d o no t hesitat e t o contac t

m y staf f membe r Andre w Usy

k a t (202 ) 224-4451
. Sincerely ,

Kirste n E
. Gillibran d Unite dState s Senato r

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