U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

Mr. Donald T. Crane 

President 

Western Reserve Building and 

Construction Trades Council 

291 McClurg Road 

Youngstown, OH 44512 

Dear Mr. Crane: 

Assistant Secretary 

July 3, 2012 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE · 

Washington, DC 20590 

Thank you for your letter addressed to Secretary LaHood, cosigned by James D. Burgham, 

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. Secretary LaHood has asked me to 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 Department may make a maximum of 40 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 of projects that can be funded. 

On May 15, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in 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 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 normal practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2012-0069 as a contact outside the record of this matter. I appreciate yotir interest in 

tills program. An identical letter has been sent to Mr. Burgham. 

Sincerely yours, 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

Mr. James D. Burgham 

Secretaryffreasurer 

Western Reserve Building and 

Construction Trades Council 

291 McClurg Road 

Youngstown, OH 44512 

Dear Mr. Burgham: ""'" 

Assistant Secretary 

July 3, 2.012 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Thank you for your letter addressed to Secretary LaHood, cosigned by Donald T. Crane, 

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. Secretary LaHood has asked me to 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 Department may make a maximum of 40 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 ai{ service 

deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility in the types of projects that can be funded. 

On May 15, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in 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 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 normal practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2012-0069 as a contact outside the record of this matter. I appreciate your interest in 

this program. An identical letter has been sent to Mr. Crane. 

Sincerely yours, 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
291 McClurg Road 

Youngstown, Ohio 44512 

Phone: (330) 758·8160 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 Seventh Street SW, Room 6401 

Washington, DC 20590 

June 8, 2012 

Subject: Youngstown-Wan·en Regional Airport 

Fax: (330) 758-5562 

Small Community Air Service Development Program Grant Application 

Docket DOT -OST-20 12-0069 

Dear Secretary LaHood, 

On behalf of the 4,000 members of the Western Reserve Building and 

Construction Trades Council, we are writing to respectfully express our support for the 

Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport's grant· application for funding under the Small 

Community Air Service Development Program. A successful grant application is one of 

several steps in the Airp01t's proposed Passenger Service Enhancement Strategy to 

reestablish regularly scheduJed commercial air service in the Youngstown-Warren 

Sharon metropolitan service area. 

During the past 15 years, the Airp011 has received in excess of $60 million from 

federal, state and local government agencies for capital improvements. The local 

community has formed a vital partnership of governments and private organizations and 

businesses through the creation of the Western Reserve Port Authority, which owns and 

manages the Airport. Although the community is strongly supportive of the Airport, the 

lack of competitive pricing and quality air services in the past has now caused the Airport 

to be undenttilized and has resulted in the 800,000 residents of Eastern Ohio and Western 

Pennsylvania to drive to Cleveland or Pittsburgh for their air travel needs. In addition, 

larger airports now require an additional one or two hours for air travelers to secure 

parking and check through security systems. The success of other regional airports such 

as Akron-Canton clearly demonstrates that there is a viable place for small to midsize 

airports in the aviation industry. With the assistance of this grant, the Airport would be 

able to offer superior air services ut lower cost to the community <.md would t:ontribute 

greatly to securing the future of the lurport. 

S10-120619-020 
Congress developed this program specifically to help communities like the 

Youngstown-Warren-Sharon metropolitan service area improve their business climate, 

spur economic development and enhance the quality of life through the development of 

air service. The Youngstown-WmTen-Sharon metropolitan service area is the most 

concentrated manufacturing region in Ohio but has one of the highest unernployment 

rates of any metropolitan area in Ohio. As the Airport is a critical component of the 

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 our Airport: is successful in securing funding under the Small Community 

Air Service Development Program. 

We support and appreciate your positive consideration of the proposal for a Small 

Community Air Service Development Program grant for the Youngstown-Warren 

Regional Airport and the community it serves. 

Sincerely, 

Donald T. Crane 

President 

DTC/JDB/kss 

510-120619-020 

Sincerely, 

James D. Burgham 

Secretaryffreasurer