u.s. Department 

of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

The Honor~ble Joe Schiavoni 

Ohio Senator 

Columbus, OH 43215 

Dear Mr. Schiavoni: 

Assistant Secretary 

July 3, 2012 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

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

the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport for a grant under the U.S. Department of 

Transpottation'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 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 ofthis matter. !appreciate your interest in 

this program. 

510-120620-019 

Sincerely yours, 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
June 12, 2012 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department ofTranspot1ation 

400 ih Street, SW, Room 6401 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Dear Secretary LaHood, 

SENATOR 

JOE SCHIAVONI 

ASSISTANT MINORITY LEADER 

33RD DISTRICT 

Committees 

Insurance, Commerce & Labor 

Energy & Public Utilities - Ranlling 

Agriculture, Environment & Natural 

Resources 

EdUi;:ation 

I am 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 Airport's proposed Passenger Service Enhancement Strategy to 

reestablish regularly scheduled commercial air service in the Youngstown-Warren-Sharon metropolitan 

service area. · · 

Duriilg the past 15 years, the Airport 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 

Ai_rpot1, ~be lack of competitive pricing and quality air services in the past has now caused the Airport to be 

underi.ltilized and has resulted in the 800,000 residents of Eastern Ohio and Pennsylvania to drive to 

Cleveland or Pittsburgh for their air travel needs. The success of other regional airports such as AkronCanton clearly demonstrates that there is a viable place for small to midsize airports in the aviation 

industry. With the assistance of this grant, the Airpmt would be able to offer superior air services at lower 

costs to the community and would contribute greatly to securing the future of the Airport. 

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-Warren-Sharon metropolitan 

service area is the most concentrated manufacturing region in 0liio but has one of the highest 

unemployment rates of any metropolitan area in Ohio. As tlie f\l$bh 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-Wan·en Regional Airport an~ the community it serves 

and Docket DOT-OST-2012-0069. 

Si"~~Jy, , Q ' ... S•tJ:..S<hW~~ ~. Assistant Minority Leader 

Ohio Senate, 33'd District 

!' 

Columbus Office: Ohio Statehouse •1 Capitol Square • Room 228 • Columbus. OH 43215 

· · Email: SD33@ohiosenate.gov 

Phone: 614-466·8285 

510-120620-019