Dear Mr. Gibilaro and Ms. Hurley,

As you are probably aware, the local newspapers have been reporting that the PD&E study has been delayed by a year or more. The newspapers however have not given any specific reasons for the delays. Has the PD&E schedule in fact been delayed and if so for how long and for what specific reasons?

Also today's editorial in the Citrus County Chronicle (http://www.chronicleonline.com/articles/2004/02/18/editorial/edit01.txt ) states, " In 2002, FDOT requested $160 million in federal funds to move the project forward." According to your email correspondence with Ms. Vu, neither the FDOT nor FTE have applied for federal aid. Would you please clarify as to whether this is true and if not publicly correct this statement by writing a letter to "The Citrus County Chronicle" to that effect. If in fact it is true, I believe it behooves you to publicly apologize to Ms. Vu in writing.

Finally, the same editorial says that the SC2 is a key element of the FIHS. Would you please contact them and ask them to correctly state that the SC2 is a "proposed" element of the FIHS and that approval of the project is subject to findings of the PD&E Study that will also analyze the feasibility of a "No Build" option compared to FTE's selected proposed final alignment and approval from the state legislature. Additionally, it would be good to point out that if federal funding is not approved, if it was indeed asked for in the first place, that the FTE could utilize its bonding powers to build the roadway as it did with the SC1 if, of course, it passed the three state tests: a finding of environmental and economic feasibility and had local public support. By so doing the information available on your website and public statements by FTE and FDOT would be on record with this newspaper and not distorted by them either by intent, ineptness or naivete.