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Assistan t Secretar y120 0 Ne w JerseyAvenue , S E iransportano n Washington , D C 2059 0 Of f ic e O f th e Secretar

y o f Transportatio n Septembe r 9 , 201 1

Mr
. Carl Chapma n ~ ~ Chairman , President , an dChie f Executiv e Office

r - 9 , , iv ^ ':; ^ Vectre n Corporatio n . ; o a ^ P.O
. Bo x 20 9 " ^ ??B ^ Evansville , I N 47702-020 9 > f'^' ^

-. 9 SQ!~ ^ Dea r Mr
. Chapman : L ^ ^^"~ ' Thank yo u for you r lette r t o Secretary LaHoo dsupportin g th e proposa l submitte db y th e Evansville-Vanderburg h Airport Authority Distric t

for agran t unde r th e Smal l Community Ai r

Servic e Developmen t

Progra m(Smal l Community Program)
. Th e Secretary ha s aske dtha t

I-respon do n hi s behal f Th e Smal l Community Progra mwas establishe dt o hel p smalle r communitie s addres s ai r servic e deficiencies , particularl y issue s relate dt o hig h airfare s an dinsufficien t service
. Unde r th e statute , th e Departmen t may us e th e fund s t o mak e amaximu mo f 4 0 gran t award s eac h year , althoug h n o mor e tha n fou r may b e t o communitie s i n th e sam e State
. I n orde r t o provid e communitie s with latitud e i n developin g solution s t o thei r ai r servic e deficiencies , th e statut e provide s significan t flexibility i n ho w th e financial assistanc e may b e used
. O n Jul y 1 , th e Departmen t issue dan orde r

requestin g tha t

communitie s intereste di n receivin g agran t

thi s year fil e thei r application s b y Augus t

2
. A s thes e gran t

request s ar e pendin g befor e th e Department , I amsur e yo u understan dtha t I canno t commen t

o n th e merit s o f an y particular

proposal
. I assur e you , however , tha t th e Departmen t

wil l giv e ful l consideratio n t o al l proposal s tha t hav e bee n properl y filed. A s i s ou r norma l practice , I amplacin g acop y o f you r lette r an dthi s respons e i n Docke t DOT-OST-2011-011 9 a s acontac t outsid e th e recor do f

thi s matter . 1 appreciat e you r interes t i n thi s program . I f

I can provid e further

informatio n o r

assistance , pleas e fee l free t o cal l me . Sincerel y yours .

Susan L
. Kurlan d Assistan t Secretary for Aviatio n an dInternationa l Affair s

### S I 0- 1 !(!879-00 3

\/C/~XDCIK I Vectre n Corporatio n V Cv

. I K C I N P. O Box20 S L/V e SfT\3f t Evansviil e itidian a 47702-020 9

Augus t 2 , 201 1 Tti e Horrarabl e Ra

yLaHoo d Secretar yo f Transportatio n U.S

. Departmen t o f Transportatio n 40 0 T*" Street

. S.W. , Washir^on , D C 2059 0 Dea rM rLaHood , I a m writin g t o st^ar

e m ysuppor

t fo ra Smal l Communit

yAi rServic e Developmen t gran t applicatio n sutimitte d b ytli e Evansville-Vanderburgt i Airpor t Aillxirit yDistrict A vibran t airpor t wit h goo d ai rservic e i s importan t t o busines s an d caicia l t o 0\ e tealtti ygrowt h o f tti e regio n I n orde rt o continu e growin g ou rregiona l economy , w e nee d rt»r e ^iden t an d frequen t transportatio n i n an d ou t o f th e community

. I n recen t yeais

. th e airline s tiav e scale d tsack servic e i n respons e t o tli e recession , whic h ha s mad e everydaybusines s trave l ver ydifficult

. Ou rcommunit

yha s take n a veryproactiv e approac h t o doin g busines s irternationatty , bu t w e are experiencin g fewe ran d fewe rflight s i n an d otr t o f Evarsvltle , makin g i t har d fo rinternationa l visitor s t o com e t o ou rregio n Th e lac k o f availatd e flint s an d limite d numlje ro f carrier s ha s als o increase d loca l fare s t o tti e poin t tha t peopl e are drtvir ^ tw o t o thre e hours on e wayt o fl you t o f othe rairports

. Thi s gran t wil l allo w ou rairpor t managemen t t o sel l ou rcommunit yt o ne w airlirtes , particularl y withfl' n th e Sta rAlliance , s o ttia t v/ e wil l show u p o n th e internationa l map . Addin g a new carrie r wil l als o resul t i n bringin g fare s dow n t o a more marrageabl e leve l thu s stimulatin g th e loca l trave l marke t I ttian k

yo u fo ryou rthoughtfu l consideratio n o f Ifii s worfriwhil e reques t Sincerely ,

Car l Chapma n Vectre n Chairman , Presiden t & CE O