### U.S. Department ofTransportation Office of the Secretary ofTransportation



## Mr. Stephen E. Sheppard Factory Manager Blue Ridge Metals Corp. 

## 180 Mills Gap Road P.O. Box 

## 189 Fletcher, NC 28732 Dear Mr. Sheppard: Assistant Secretary


## July 3, 2012 

# .· 1200 New Jersey Avenue. SE
-. Washington. DC 20590



## 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 ofTransportation's Small Community Air Service Development Program. 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**insuffici~nt** 

## service. Under the**s~tut~z** 

## the Department may make a**max~mum** 

## of40 grant awards each year, although no more than 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 ofprojects that can be funded. On May 15, the Department issued·

## ata orderrequesting that communities interested irt receiving a grant this year file their applications by June 11. As these grant requests are pending before the Department, I cannot comment on the merits ofany 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 normal practice, I amplacing 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 Affairs1 .• • :··, • .• • ... .**~** .• :., 

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.. 180 Mills Gap Ad • PO Box 189 • Fletcher, NC 28732 • Tel (828) 687·2525 • Fax (828) 687-1651

June 

### 7,2012 The Honorable Ray LaHood, Secretary U.S. Department

# ofTransportation 400

## J'h Street, SW Room 

### 10200 Washington, D.C. 20590

Dear Secretary LaHood:**~-** On behalfof Blue Ridge Metals Corporation, a manufacturing organization representing 

### 130employees In the Western North Carolina area, we strongly supportthe Asheville Regional Airport's Small



### . . CommunityAir Service Development Grant, which will allow for new and Improved service In our region. Our region Is growing, and enhanced air service is Imperative to the economicvitality ofour area. Quality air service aids our economythrough Improved access for visitors, tourism and Is Importantto business growth and retention.

··-·**,~** Our region has a noted connection to the Denver marl<et- both from a leisure and business travel perspective. We know that5% of.Inbound

### trav~iers come from Colo1·ado; and many morefrom the west. Also, significant business development Is occurring by Colorado and western state-based businesses intheWestern North Carolina region. Enhanced air service to and from Denver and western states Is a positive fitfor the direction ofgrowth our region Is experiencing. However, we have experienced the foss of low-costair carrier AirTran.-in the**p~st_year,** and as a r.esult,**~ave s~en**  airfares begin to rise to levels much greaterthan our competitors are experiencing. The Asheville l'legional Airport has put**to'get~~r** a two-fold plnn to mi.tigate the rising air fnres they are experiencing due to the loss ofAlrTrari Airways this year. Specifically, the plan focuses first on attracting another low-costair service providerto serve the Denver marl<et, and potentiallyadditional marl<ets lost when AlrTran was acquired by Southwest. Second, the plan ensures that sufficient marketing wi'll occur to supportthe new low-fare carrier's**succe~s** in the WNC market, and Includesa focus on strengthening the newly formed travel advisory**group~** a consortium ofbusiness leaders, economic developers and



## . . ' tourism representatives who meet quarterly·to discuss airservice needs, advocacy and utilization. Please acceptour supportoftheAsheville Regional Airport's grant request.

factory Manager