Lieutenant governor sees room for compromise on TMT

Hawaii Lt. Gov. Josh Green said Tuesday he thinks there are potential areas of compromise between state officials and opponents of the Thirty Meter Telescope, such as an accelerated decommissioning of five existing telescopes, that could help move the $1.4 billion telescope project forward. As the situation stands, he said, it would be impossible to begin construction.

Green, who spent several hours Monday at the site of demonstrations on Hawaii island, said it would also help if law enforcement was pulled back, a reconciliation process between state officials and demonstrators was initiated and Native Hawaiians were able to continue accessing the mountain for cultural practices. The state closed off the road leading up to the summit of the mountain last week, citing safety reasons.

Green, who spoke to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Tuesday, said the suggestions, which he plans to relay to the governor, were reflective of conversations he had with demonstrators.

“It’s not a question of whether I support (the TMT) or don’t,” Green said. “It’s a question of could it even be built under that circumstance, and the answer is no. It coudn’t be built, and I heard that from everybody on the mountain, including law enforcement.”

The number of telescope opponents swelled to about 2,000 people this weekend, and demonstrators have shown they are well organized and well versed in nonviolent protest tactics. Given the scale of the demonstration, law enforcement has been faced with the prospect of having to conduct hundreds of arrests in an attempt to clear the road for construction vehicles. It’s a daunting prospect for state and county officials focused on safety.

The state has enlisted help from the National Guard, officers with the state’s Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement, state sheriffs, investigators from the state Attorney General’s Office and county police from Hawaii island, Maui and Oahu.

Green said that level of law enforcement presence is unsustainable in the long run.

“I would be shocked if we have the resources for a several-month effort like that,” he said.

Gov. David Ige’s administration hasn’t released figures for how much it’s costing the state, but has acknowledged that the law enforcement presence on Hawaii island detracts from other areas of need throughout the state.

“We couldn’t have a 10-year law enforcement presence, and we certainly couldn’t have 10 years of arresting people who are near and dear to us,” said Green in reference to the estimated 10-year construction period for the telescope. “That can’t happen.”

Green’s visit to Mauna Kea on Monday surprised some as the the governor had yet to step foot on the mountain. The lieutenant governor, who is not among the governor’s inner circle on TMT negotiations, also told media while touring the area that he opposed Ige’s use of the National Guard, a position Green had taken last year during the campaign.

Green told the Star-­Advertiser on Tuesday that his visit wasn’t intended to undercut Ige’s efforts, and said the governor’s office had supported his decision to visit the site of the mass protest.

“I do have the governor’s back in the sense that I believe in astronomy, I believe in telescopes. But it has to be done in a way that the Hawaiian community, especially the leadership, accepts,” he said. “Otherwise, it will tear away the fabric of our ohana. That is evident.”

“If you want to know why I went there, I’m from there. I serve as a doctor there. My relatives were up there.”

Ige said he’s seeking a peaceful resolution to the situation, enlisting Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim to lead county and state efforts to reach common ground with demonstrators who refer to themselves as protectors of Mauna Kea. Last week law enforcement looked poised to begin arresting more demonstrators blocking Mauna Kea Access Road but then backed off, and there has been no sign that the state is looking to ramp up law enforcement efforts soon.

Ige visited Mauna Kea for the first time Tuesday evening and was greeted by a crowd of about 1,000 people. He was given lei, embraced and invited to step forward to speak to the crowd.

While state and county officials are searching for common ground with TMT opponents, it’s not clear how much room there is for negotiation with leaders of the demonstration making clear that their goal is to stop the TMT from being constructed.

Still, Green said he saw potential.

“Sometimes magical things happen when people go up and embrace each other,” he said. “That is one of the reasons I went up there. That’s the Hawaii way.”