CASPER, WY – Casper / Natrona County International Airport announced award by the U.S.
Department of Transportation of a Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP) grant.
Congress established the SCASDP grant program in 2001 to assist smaller communities in enhancing
their air service and to address high airfare issues. The DOT had $10 million available for fiscal year 2017
grant awards. The Airport’s grant amount will total $500,000; however, the Airport’s application
reflected a program total of $737,000, including cash, in-kind contributions, and reduction in fees from
the Airport. The focus of the Airport’s grant application is to cover initial operating losses, operating
costs, and local marketing for new non-stop service to Phoenix, Arizona or another western hub.
The DOT received 53 grant applications from communities in 36 states/territories. Statutory
requirements including insufficient air service, unreasonably high air fares, and/or geographic diversity
as well as meeting priority considerations such as local cash contributions, established public/private
partnerships, material benefits to the general public, timely use of grant funds, and whether multiple
communities cooperate to submit a regional or multistate application to consolidate air service into one
regional airport are also considerations in selecting a grantee. The Department intends to award 16
grants benefiting communities in 16 states/territories. This is the third SCASDP grant the Airport has
received. It received one grant in 2002 and one in 2012.
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