March 8, 2022
Brooke Chapman, Associate Director
Small Community Air Service Development
Office of Aviation Analysis
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20590
RE: Support for San Bernardino International Airport Small Community Air Service Development Federal Funding Request
Dear Ms. Chapman,
On behalf of Inland Action, Inc. (a non-partisan, non-profit organization created in 1962 at Norton AFB), I am pleased to write this letter of support for the San Bernardino International Airport (SBD) Small Community Air Service Development (SCASD) Project. Since 1962, Inland Action, Inc. has ardently supported the strength of our Norton Air Force Base operations, then retention, and reuse of this regional asset which consistently supported aeronautical operations for the safety, security, and economic advancement of our communities.
Regrettably, Norton Air Force Base was listed for closure under the 1988 Base Realignment and Closure Commission Act and officially closed in 1994, but Inland Action’s support has never stopped amidst years of economic deterioration across the largest County in the United States. In fact, Inland Action’s support and alignment grows even stronger with the many, many developments that SBD International Airport have successfully accomplished over time working for and with organizations like us.
As business, industry, and community leaders across sectors, we have all seen and want to continue to see the power of the progress of economic development brought by key programs such as this SBD SCASD funding request. Since its foundation in 1990, we have seen the airport pragmatically and responsibly develop, implement, evaluate, and adapt an established program for grant management, execution, implementation and performance starting in 1993 across many Federal agencies.
Through our years of collaboration with SBD, we know that creating an open and accessible business and travel option for our greater Southern California region isn’t just about starting commercial air passenger service, it’s about growing a new, exciting, curb-to-runway option to fly SBD. Inland Action, Inc. has always supported this from the days of Norton AFB and now SBD. We all have been waiting for this new chapter of renewal, and it is upon us.
Thank you for your serious consideration of SBD’s application as well as its economic development efforts. We all continue to work to see SBD International Airport provide this service for the overall benefit of the region.
Sincerely,
Carole Beswick, CEO