~ :~. : : 

U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

The Honorable Chuck McGrady 

N.C. House of Representatives·· 

16 W. Jones Street; Room 418A · 

Raleigh, NC 27601 

Dear Mr. McGrady: 

Assistant Secretary 

July 3, 2012 

1 200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

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

the Asheville Regional Airport. for a grant under the U.S. Department of Transportation's Small 

Community Air Service Development Program. The Secretary has requested that I 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 maximwn 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~ 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 nonnal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour 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. 

Sincerely yours, 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
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COMMITTEES: 

REPRESENTATIVE CHUCK MCGRADY APPROPRIATIONS I I 7TH DISTRICT 

OFFICrt ADDRESS: 

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EMAIL.: 

16 W. JON!tS STReET, ROOM 4 I 0 A 

RAI..IliGH, NC 27601·1096 

(9 I 9) 733•1!19!16 

{0 I 9) 794·33 I 6 FAX 

chuck.mcgrady@neleg.net 

APPROPRIATIONS SUUCOMMITTiiE ON 

TRANSPORTATION 

ENVIRONMENT, VICE CHAIRMAN 

JUDICLARV' 

JUDICIARY SUBCOMMITTE:2 ON CIVIL LAW 

TRANSPORTATION 

HoMe ADDRESS: PO aox 723 

HENDEROONYIC.LI!, NC 29793 

(928) 692•3896 - 'J"E\.EPfiONK: 

The Honorable Ray LaHood, Secretary 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 7:h Street, sw Room 10200 

Washington~ D.C. 20590 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

June 4, 2012 

• -e: 1 support the Asheville Regional AirpO'I't's· Small Community Air Service· Develepment Grant, which will 

allow for new and improved service in the western region of our state. This region is growing, and 

enhanced air service is imperative to the economic vitality of the area. Quality air service aids our 

c>conomy through improved access for visitors, tourism and is important to business growth and 

retemion. 

The western region has a noted connection to the Denver market - both from a leisure and business 

travel perspective. While I know that 5% of inbound travelers come from Colorado, and many more 

from the west; I'm particularly aware of the connection because my daughter attended summer camp In 

Colorado, and flew that route eath'year; Moreover, significant business development is occurring by 

Colorado and western state-based businesses in the Western North Carolina region. Enhanced air 

service to and from Denver and western states is a positive fit for the direction of growth our region Is 

experiencing. However, we have experienced the loss of low-cost air carrier AirTran in the past year, 

and as a result, have seen airfares begin to rise to levels much greater than our competitbrs are 

experiencing. 

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The Asheville Regional Airport has put together a two-fold plan to mitigate the rising air fares It Is 

experiencing due to the loss of AlrTran Airways this year. First, the plan focuses on attracting another 

low-cost air service provider to serve the Denver market, and potentially additional markets lost when 

AirTran was acquired by Southwest. Second, the plan ensures that sufficient marketing will occur to 

support the new low-fa're carriers success In the WNC market, and includes a focus on strimgtheni~g 

the newly forme~d travel advisory group - a !=onsortl1-1m of business leaders~ 'economic developers'and 

tourism representatives who meet quarterly to discuss air service needs, advocacy and utilization. 

I support of the Ashevllle Regional Airport's grant request. 

~ Rep. Chuck McGrady 

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