Editorial: Kim offers a way forward on TMT

At nearly 14,000 feet above sea level, the area near Mauna Kea’s summit — the highest point in Hawaii — is a place where the heavens meet the Earth.

For many Native Hawaiians, the dormant volcano is an important place to connect with natural and spiritual worlds. For astronomers representing scientific institutions in various parts of the world, it’s where the atmosphere is uniquely fit for study of stars throughout the Milky Way and formation of galaxies at the edge of the observable universe.

There is no doubt that both perspectives are deeply grounded in reverence for the summit. And that’s why Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim’s just-released plan, “The Heart of Aloha, A Way Forward Maunakea,” holds promise to serve as a much-needed step toward resolving the controversy surrounding construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope.

The plan rightly aims to trade the ongoing impasse at Mauna Kea Access Road, which is based, in part, on “yes” or “no” divides, for working together to find a path to reasonable compromise that’s favorable to all involved. Success in this step will hinge on trust and levelheaded reflection.

On Monday, Kim said he would ask TMT opponents, who equate construction with desecration, to remove the barricades that have blocked the access road since mid-July and reopen it during discussions, with the understanding that telescope equipment will not ascend to the construction site while negotiations are underway.

TMT opponents have rallied a unifying sense of pride in Native Hawaiian circles that swells far beyond Mauna Kea’s remote reach. Moreover, their outreach campaign has generated greater recognition regarding a history — dating back to the Hawaiian kingdom’s overthrow — of wrongs done to the host culture.

At this juncture, the protest’s leadership would be wise to accept Kim’s invitation for negotiation, as it’s a prime opportunity to secure tangible gains in regards to Mauna Kea’s future and broader matters of self-determination. Remaining resolute in a zero-sum gamble runs the risk of being left empty-handed.

TMT’s sponsors have spent the past decade obtaining the necessary permits and permissions from the state and county to proceed with the $1.4 billion project, which is slated to put in operation the planet’s most advanced and largest optical telescope. The project has the legal right to begin construction.

The University of Hawaii, which holds the lease on the 13-telescope science reserve near the summit, has acknowledged past missteps in stewardship at the sensitive site, but also points to solid evidence of adhering to a correction course now almost two decades in the works.

Kim’s plan states that UH has made a legally binding commitment that the TMT site will be the last new area to be developed for observatories. There are also new pledges to overhaul governance of the mountain to include more Hawaiian community and county government representation, and for the UH to establish a cultural center at the Hale Pohaku visitors center.

In addition, “The Heart of Aloha” underscores several initiatives intended to foster collaboration, such as the TMT International Observatory’s THINK Fund’s proposed allocation of $1 million a year to science, technology, engineering and math education on Hawaii island. The plan’s overall vision ties together a list of Native Hawaiian-focused gains worth discussing.

Now is the time to suspend the access road standoff. The state and counties have already spent at least $7.7 million on related law enforcement. Surely, adding to that shortchanges funds needed for community services across Hawaii.

Now is the time to move forward, with mutual trust and thoughtful dialogue, to seize opportunity for Native Hawaiian culture and next-generation science to co-exist and thrive on Mauna Kea.