U.S. Department of Transportation Office ofthe Secretary ofTransportation

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 byJames D. Burgham, supporting the proposal submitted by the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport for a grant underthe U.S. Department ofTransportation's Small Community Air Service Development Program. SecretaryLaHoodhas asked me to respond onhis behalf. The Small CommunityAir 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 maymake a maximum of40 grant awards each year, although no more than 4 awards maybe to communities inthe same State. In orderto provide communities with latitude indeveloping solutions to their air.service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility inthe types ofprojects that can be funded. On May 15, the Department issued an orderrequesting that communities interested inreceiving a grant this year file their applications by June 11. As these grantrequests are pending before the Department, I cannot comment onthe merits ofany particularproposal. I assure youthat the Department will give full and fair consideration to all proposals that have beenproperly filed.
As is our normal practice, I am placing a copyofyour letter and this response in Docket DOT-OST-2012-0069 as a contact outside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate yotir interest in tills program. An identical letter has been sentto Mr. Burgham. Sincerely yours,

Susan L. Kurland Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International AffairsU.S. Department of Transportation Office of the Secretary ofTransportation



### Mr. James D. Burgham Secretaryffreasurer Western Reserve Building and

Construction Trades Council 291 McClurg Road Youngstown, OH 44512
DearMr. Burgham: ""'" Assistant Secretary July 3, 2.012 1200 NewJersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590

Thank you for your letter addressed to Secretary LaHood, cosigned by Donald T. Crane, supporting the proposal submittedby the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport for a grant underthe U.S. Department ofTransportation's Small CommunityAir Service Development Program. Secretary LaHood has asked me to respond onhis 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 Departmentmay make a maximum of40 grant awards each year, although no more than 4 awards may be to communities in the same State. In orderto provide communities with latitude indeveloping solutions to their ai{ service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility inthe types ofprojects that can be funded. OnMay 15, the Department issued an orderrequesting that communities interested inreceiving a grant this year file their applications by June 11. As these grant requests are pending before the Department, I cannot comment onthe merits ofany particularproposal. I assure you thatthe Department will give full and fair consideration to all proposals thathave beenproperly filed. As is our normal practice, I amplacing a copy ofyour letter and thisresponse in Docket DOT-OST-2012-0069 as a contact outside the record ofthis 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 Affairs291 McClurg Road Youngstown, Ohio 44512 Phone: (330) 758·8160

TheHonorable Ray LaHood Secretary ofTransportation U.S. Department ofTransportation 400 Seventh Street SW, Room 6401 Washington, DC 20590 June 8, 2012

Subject: Youngstown-Wan·en Regional Airport Fax: (330) 758-5562

Small CommunityAir Service Development Program Grant Application Docket

### DOT-OST-2012-0069
Dear Secretary LaHood,
On behalfofthe 4,000 members ofthe 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 CommunityAir Service Development Program. A successful grant applicationis 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 communityhas formed a vital partnership ofgovernments and private organizations and businesses through the creation ofthe Western Reserve Port Authority, which owns and manages the Airport. Although the community is strongly supportive ofthe Airport, the lack ofcompetitive pricing and quality air services in the past has now caused the Airport to be undenttilized and has resulted in the 800,000 residents ofEastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvaniato drive to Cleveland or Pittsburgh for their air travel needs. In addition, larger airports now require an additional one ortwo hours for air travelers to secure parking and check through security systems. The success ofotherregional 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 ofthis 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 ofthe 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 oflife through the development of air 

### service. The Youngstown-WmTen-Sharon metropolitan service area is the 

### most concentrated manufacturing region in Ohio but 

### has one ofthe highest unernployment rates ofany metropolitan areain 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 ourcommunity. 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 ofthe 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