U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

The Honorable Susan Combs 

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts 

Austin, TX 78711-3528 

Dear Ms. Combs: 

Assistant Secretary 

AUG 22 2013 2 

1200 New Jersey Avenue. SE 

Washington. DC 20590 

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

Tyler Pounds Regional Airport for a grant under the U.S. Department of Transportation's Small 

Community Air Service Development Program. Secretary Foxx has asked that I respond to you 

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 four 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 June 24, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in receiving a 

grant this year file their applications by July 26. 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 standard practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2013-0120 as a contact outside the record of this matter. I appreciate your interest in 

this program. 

Sincerely yours, 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
TEXAS COMPTROI...LE.R 

July l81 2013 

Mr. Anthony Foxx 

Secretary 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave,, SE 

Washington, D.C. 2059'0 

s s 

PUBI...IC ACCOUNTS 

c 

RE: Small Community Air Service Development Program; Docket DOT -OST -2013-0120, 

CFDA Number 20.930, for Tyler Pounds Regional Airport (TYR) 

Dear Secretary Foxx: 

I am pleased to offer my support to Tyler Pounds Regional Airport's application for a grant from 

the U.S. Department ofTransportation's Small Community Air Service Development Pilot 

Program. 

The Tyler metropolitan area is a rapidly growing hub for economic development in Northeast 

Texas. The community has become a magnet for higher education, research and development 

and medical services. The improvements in air service that would result from this grant would 

help accelerate economic growth throughout the region and attract additional high-wage 

employers. 

Over the years, Tyler has demonstrated a strong iocnl commitment to improving Tyler Pounds 

Regional Airport,s facilities. The community has leveraged local, state and federal funds to 

construct a new passenger terminal and numerous runway and safety improvements, A grant 

from the Small Community Air Service Development Pilot Program will help the city promote 

this world·class regional airport facility and assure that it is utilized to its maximum capacity to 

benefit the people of Northeast Texas. 

I hope that Tyler Pounds Regional Airport's appUcation will be given utmost consideration for 

this grant. The improved air service the program would facilitate will enhance mobility for the 

community's residents and increase economic growth and opportunity throughout the Northeast 

Texas region. 

Sincerely, 

M~ Susan Combs 

s