o 

US. Department of 

Ttansportdtion 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

Assistant Secretary 

September 9, 2011 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Mr. Kurt D. Hodgen 

City Manager 

345 South Main Street 

P.O. Box 20031 

Harrisonburg, VA 22802 

Dear Mr. Hodgen: 

> 

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

Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport Commission for a grant under the Small 

Community Air Service Development Program (Small Community Program). The 

Secretary has asked that I^espond on his behalf 

The Small Community Program was established to help smaller communities address air 

service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares and insufficient service. 

Under the statute, the Department may use the funds to make a maximum of 40 grant 

awards each year, although no more than four 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 significant flexibility in how the financial assistance 

may be used. 

On July 1, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in 

receiving a grant this year file their applications by August 2. As these grant requests are 

pending before the Department, I am sure you understand that I cannot comment on the 

merits of any particular proposal. I assure you, however, that the Department will give 

ftill 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-2011-0119 as a contact outside the record of this matter. I appreciate your 

interest in this program. If I can provide fiirther information or assistance, please feel 

fi-ee to call me. 

Sincerely yours. 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
810-110826-006 

SHENANDOAH VALLEY -» 

City of Harrisonburg, \/irginla 

Office of the C% (Manager 

y a South Main S(!««« 

f'o»10fr!W!fJox 20035 

HsniscnbiirB, WA 22®J2 

{540) 432-7?01 JFAX (&40) 4-i2???8 

July 7, 2011 

The Horu»^^ Ray LaHood 

Sex^etary of TranspmiatkHi 

U.S. Depsfiment of Trartspoilation 

1200 New Jersey Ave SE 

Washin^on, D.C. 20590 

Dear Secretaiy LaHood. 

I am wrWng to you today on b^alf of ttte City of Harr^ot^rg, ona of the five rr^tnbership 

jurisdk^ois ttist O'eat^ tha Shonandoah Valley Regional Airport Commission, to strongly express 

our stQ^rl of the gtBnt appltc^w) subn^id by the Crnnml^ion und^ the ^t^ \ CommunKy ^ r 

Swvice Dstfdq[»T«9nt Prc^^nam. 

We vshm 0ie many txmelHs of otM' regi<H)«it airport and have Invested »lgnificai% in its 

d«v«*r^Mnent over the years. The /Urpott ts criticiil to tha economic vmaHty of our M^on and fts 

future. Ova (^immimRy vras dramattedfy impacted In the montt@ and yeara fon«Mng September 11, 

2001. fritM' to ttiat time, our community had proven that yiven the vi^ e and erainomical access, it 

oouid sustain unsubsidized air service. 

Sdwrei yeans ego, our IrKiumbent air canler. Co^ n NK, introdutsed United Express eennca to 

Washington Dulles InteitiMional Airport. This service has brouoht greatly improved fares alwig VHth 

improvmi connectivity for our f^msani^m. Co^an e^m upgraded the aircraft used in the mevHet. 

This n^nssEMited lite fiiBt substantive knprovement h. otr s«vk» in many years. \MiHe respon&o to 

ttii» dvatige has been very favorable, in ord^ to overoimo the pest yearn of less than d^itoable 

senm^, an eg^isseive, mistairted mark^r^ campaign is needed to adequate communicate ttw 

pc^itjve changee to our public. Ve^ cost of Impteinenting su<^ a pr<^ram exceeds available local 

resources. 

Should the Depaifmsnt of Transportaton award a grant to t}» Commission, we wmdd aniiclpato 

improwd passeng«r traflhs, increased reveniw for the carrier and tlw redudion or elimination d our 

France on subsidies under ttie Sss^nUal Air 8en/tce Program, a "VHti-win* aifualion for both ttw 

Ctopartment and our Commission. 

Yoir fowsrable consideratton o( IMs application would be gr«Mtt^ appr^iated. 

Sirtcarely. 

,/ 

KurtO.Herman ^ 

City Manner 

Ttie City Witfi The Planned Future 

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