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# l THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590



### TheHonorable Joseph Maturo, Jr. MayorofEastHaven 250 Main Street EastHaven, CT 06512 DearMayorMaturo: August 22, 2013



### Thankyoufor your letter supportingthe application submitted by the Tweed-NewHaven Regional Airport for a grantunderthe U.S. DepartmentofTransportation's Small Community Air ServiceDevelopment Program. The Small Community Air Service Dfwelopment Program was established to help smaller communities address air service deficiencies,particularly issues related to high airfares or insufficient service. Underthe statute, the Depattment may make amaximum of40 grant awards each year, although no more thanfour awards may be to communities in

### the same State. In

### orderto provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility in the types ofprojects that can befunded. OnJune 24, the Department issued an ordersetting a deadline ofJuly 26 for applications. As these grantrequests are pending before the Department, Icannot comment on themerits ofany particularproposal. I assure youthat the Departmentwill give full and fair consideration to all proposals thathave been properly filed. As is our standard practice, I am placing acopy ofyour letter and this response in Docket DOT-OST-2013-0120 as acontact outside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate yourinterest in this program.

Anthony R. Foxx

# EAST HAVEN OFFICE OFTHE MAYOR joseph Maturo,Jr. July 26, 2013 The Honorable Anthony Foxx Secretary, US Dept ofTransportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 RE: SMALL COMMUNITY AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Docket Number: DOT-OST-2013-0120 DUNS: 800203864 Dear Secretary Foxx: I am writing with regard to the application by the Tweed-New Haven Airport Authority forfunding underthe Small Community Air Service Development Program. Southern Connecticut continues to grow and emerge from the Recession with a stronger economic base. This trend, however, is at risk dueto a severe lack of alternative transportation options along the Northeast Corridor. In our area, high levels of congestion on Interstate 95 and the limited service schedule for intercity Amtrak service inhibit vehiculartraffic. Access to airports in other cities often add an 'extra leg' to business trips which is expensive and time consuming for large and small businesses. Tweed-New Haven Regional Airport is a valuable economic assetto this region. Both the State of Connecticut and the City of New Haven have invested over $10 million dollars in operating Tweed overthe past decade. Coupled with the support of FAA entitlementfunding, Tweed-New Haven Regional Airport has utilized this financial support to make significant facility improvements as well as actively seek out new airline partners. However, due to the minimal revenue provided by the airport's current air carrier, Tweed has limited funds to offer marketing incentives to prospective carriers to bring in new air service. The Federal Aviation Administration has identified Tweed-New Haven Regional Airport as one ofeleven integral service providers in the New England Region. The funding which accompanies this designation will allow the Tweed-New Haven Regional Airport Authorityto attract non-stop service to one ofWashington DC's two airports, either Dulles International or Reagan National. These Washington DC flights would be operated in conjunction with United Airlines or US Airways respectively and would not only provide New Haven with fast and convenient nonstop service to the Nation's

250 MAIN STREET • EAST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT06512 ·w.townofeasthavenct.org • (203) ,!68-3204 • FAX (203) 468-3372 • email: eh.mayor@atr.net 

### Mayor

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I Capital Region, the flights would provide New Haven with national connectivity to new destinations via one ofthese two airline hubs. As you may or may not be aware, Tweed New Haven Airportwas and continues to be an issue ofcritical importance to neighbors who live around the airport. Of utmost importance to me is to continue to balance their quality-of-life concerns with the interests of making Tweed economically self-sufficient and more successful. I do not believe Tweed's application underthis program will significantly lowerthe quality for neighbors surrounding the airport. I want to stress that I believe the continued development ofT weed-New Haven Regional Airport's commercial air service will be an integral piece ofthe Southern Connecticut's future economic health and vitality. l believe thatyou will find thatthe Tweed-New Haven Regional Airport Authority has provided a strong application and I hope that you will give their request every possible consideration. I appreciate your time and consideration of my comments. Sincerely,

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