TMT construction still stalled
Governor David Ige has announced that the leadership team within the Thirty Meter Telescope Corporation is continuing to postpone construction efforts on Mauna Kea.
Opposition to the Thirty-Meter Telescope (TMT) project continues to grow. On Monday, April 13, the Pūkoʻa Council, a council representing Native Hawaiian-serving programs throughout the university system, staged a walkout, rally and press-conference in protest over the project, while an open letter urging investors in the project to pull-out has been signed by more than 150 organizations and individuals from the broader University of Hawaiʻi community.
Despite this, the governor believes the TMT corporation has the right to proceed with construction atop the mountain. “My understanding is that TMT followed an almost seven-year planning and permitting process, which included public hearings and community input,” said Ige. “Following this process, project permits were issued. The TMT team is legally entitled to use its discretion to proceed with construction.”
He added, “I understand that not everyone will agree with this, and I recognize and respect their right to appeal through the court system.”
Governor Ige also said that he has recently learned about “other issues that need our attention to create and implement a better plan for the stewardship of Mauna Kea.” The governor said these issues include:
Decommissioning and removing older telescopes and facilities to restore the summit;
Reducing the level of activity on the summit; and
Integrating culture and science.
“My administration will be working with the University of Hawaiʻi, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and the community to actively pursue these outcomes,” Ige said.
