## U.S. Department 

## of Transportation Office 

## of the Secretary ofTransportation



## Mr. Paul A. Lyden
·· Vice President · ..·· Lyden Oil Company 3711 LeHarps Drive Youngstown, OH 44515 DearMr. Lyden: Assistant Secretary 

## July 3, 2012 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington. DC 20590



## Thankyou for your letter addressed to Secretary LaHood supporting the proposal submitted by the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport for a grant under the U.S. Department of Transportation's Small Community Air Service Development Program. The Secretary has requested 

# that Irespond on his behalf. The Small Community Air Service Development Program was established to help smalh:r communities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high 

## airfares or insufficient service. Under the statute, the Department may make a maximum of40 grant

..**~wards** 

## each year, although no more**t.h~** 

## 4 a \Yards may be to**c~mmuni~ies_**

## if!_the same State. In orderto provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility in the types ofprojects that can be funded. On May 15, the Department issued an orderrequesting that communities interested in receiving a grant this year file their applications by June 11.·As these grant requests are·pending before the Department, Icannot comment on the merits ofany particularproposal. I assure you that the Department will give full and fair consideration to all proposals that have been properly filed. As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in Docket DOT-OST-2012-0069 as a contact outside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate your interest in this program. Sincerely yours,

Susan L. Kurland Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs

# Lyden 

# Oil Company

June 15, 2012

The Honorable Ray LaHood Secretary ofTransportation U.S. Department ofTransportation 400

## ih Street, SW, Room 6401 Washington, DC 20590 ,.. -**~ ~** 

## .... ,. 

### .-.

## ,..

RE: Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport Small Community Air Service Development Program Grant Application, Docket DOT-OST-2012-0069 Dear Secretary LaHood: · We are writingto express oursupportfor the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport's grant application for funding under the Smail CommunityAir ServiCe Development Program. A successful grant application is extremely importantto helping the Airport achieve its proposed Passenger Service Enhancement Strategy that will lead to reestablishing regularly scheduled commercial air service in the Youngstown/Warren/Sharon MSA. Duringthe past 15years, 

### the Airport has received Jn excess of$60 million from federal, state and local government agencies for capital improvements. The local community has formed avital partnership ofgovernments and private organizations and businesses through the creation oftbe.Westerri Reserve Port Authority, which**o~ns** and l"(lanages the Airport. Althoug(J the community Is. strongly supportive ofthe Airport, the lack ofcompetitive pricing and quality airservices in the past has now caused the Airport to be underutilized and as 

## a consequence, the 800,000 residents of Easter Ohio and Western Pennsylvania now have to drive to Cleveland or Pittsburgh for their air travel need. larger airports now require an additional one to two hours for airtravelers to secure parking and clear the security systems, which makes it even more difficultfor our local residents to travel. The SUCC{!SS ofother**~-egio~al '!_irpor~**  suer {I,S Akron-Cant9n clearly demonstrates that there is aviable place for small to midsize airports inthe aviation industry. With the assistance ofthis grant, the Airport would be able to offersuperior air services at lower costs to the communitY and would contribute greatly to securing the future ofthe Airport. Congress developed this program specifically to help communities like the Youngstown/Warren Sharon MSA improve their business climate, spur economic developm!j!nt, and enhance the quality of lifethrough the development of air service. The Youngstown/Warren/Sharon MSA is themost <;,oncentrated manufacturing region in Ohio, but has one ofthe highest unemployment rates of any MSA in Ohio. As the Airport is 

### a critical component ofthe community's economic development strategy, failure to redevelop air service will only impede our ability to attract and retain employers to our community. Therefore it is imperative that ourAirport is successful in securing funding under the Small Community Air Service Development Program. We support and appreciate your positive consideration ofthe proposal for a Small Community Air Service Development grant for the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport and the community itserves
.



## .

# /~ I 

# /7**Sincere~** // • "--'/

# ;~/ 

# / /(l.G-1--/. 

# ;4**~- ·:~~!··t:_**  (/-



### . 

## .--- 

# ./

.Paul A. Lyden, Vice President Lyden Oil Company



## , S10-120626-012 !_,-



### Sc:rving**i'i~e** 

### Con'mumty Since 1919