~ . . . 

U.S. Departmel"!f 

of Transportation 

Asslslnnl Socrolary 1200 Now Jcrsoy Avenue. SE 

Washington. DC 20590 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

Mr. Bert Lemkes 

President . 

Van Wingerden International, Inc. 

4112 Haywood Road 

Mills River, NC 28759 

Dear Mr. Lemkes: 

July 3, 2012 

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

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

Community Air Service Development Progrom. The Secretary has requested that I respond 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 Dcpartn1ent may make a maximum of 40 grant 

awards each year, nlthough no more limn 4 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 May 15, the Depanmcnt issued nn order requesting that communities interested in receiving n 

grant.thi.s year ·ftte ttlci'r'applications by June 11. As these grant requests arc pending before the. 

Depanmcnt, I cannot comment on the merits or any paniculur proposal. I nssure you that the 

Department will give full and fair consideration to nil proposals thnt have been properly filed. 

As is our nom1al practice. I am placing n copy or your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-201 2-0069 as a contact outside the record or this matter. I appreciate your interest in 

this program. 

Sincerely yours. 

Susan L. Kurlnnd 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
Thursday, June 07, 2012 

The Honorable Ray LaHood, Secretary 

U.S. Department ofTranspmtation 

400 i 11 Street, SW Room 10200 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Dear Secretary LaHood: . ·'·-· 

4112 Hnym)Od Ro2d 

Mills River, NC 20759 

(828) 891-4116 

fax (B28) 891..1J581 

On behalf of Van Wingerden lntemational Inc., a horticulture business organization representing 250+ 

employees in the Western Nmth Carolina area, we strongly support the Asheville Regional Airport's Small 

Community Air Service Development Grant, which will allow fqr new and improved service in our region. Our 

region is growing, and enhanced air service is imperative to the economic vitality of our area. Quality air 

service aids our economy through improved access for visitors, tourism and is important to business growth and 

retention. 

Oi.Ir region has a· noted connection to the Denver market- both from a leisure and business travel perspec1ivt'. 

We know that 5% ofinbmmd travelers come from Colorado, and many more from the west. Also, significant 

business development is occm'l'ing by Colorado and western state-based businesses in the Western North 

Carolina region. Enhanced air service to and from Denver and.westem states is a positive fit for the direction of 

growth our region is experiencing. However, we have experienced the loss oflow-cost air carrier AirTron in 

the past year, and as a result, have seen airfares begin to rise to levels much greater than our competitors arc 

experiencing. t -· 

·the Asheville Regional Airport has put together a two-fold plan to mitigate the rising air fares they arc 

experiencing due to the loss of AirTnm Airways this year. Specifically, the plan focuses first OJl attracting 

.tnother-Jow-cosl air service provider to .serve the Denver market, and potentially additional markets lost when 

Ai.rTrun was acquired by Southwest. Second, lhe plan ensmes that sufficient marketing will occur to support 

the new low-tare carder's success in the WNC market, and includes a focus on strengthening the newly formed 

travel advisory group- a consortium of business leaders, economic developers and tourism representatives who 

meet quarterly to discuss air service needs, advocacy and utilization. , 

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