A new statewide poll commissioned for the developer of the Thirty Meter Telescope shows Hawaii residents support construction of the long-delayed $2.4 billion project by nearly a 2-to-1 margin.

The opinion poll, conducted in early March by Ward Research Inc. of Honolulu, shows that 61% of Hawaii residents support moving forward with the TMT, while 32% are opposed.

The survey results, released today, come about six months after a poll commissioned by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser had shown statewide support for the project slipping to about 50% of voters.

The latest poll was conducted on the phone and online from March 5 to March 14 as the coronavirus pandemic was looming but before quarantine and shelter-in-place orders imposed later in the month unleashed devastating effects on Hawaii’s economy.

Gordon Squires, TMT vice president of external relations, said it was important for the TMT International Observatory board to understand how the people of Hawaii are feeling about the project.

“These results are significant, demonstrating that a majority of the people supports TMT moving forward,” he said.

Plans to build one of the world’s most powerful telescopes were put on hold in 2015 when construction vehicles were blocked by protesters on Mauna Kea and the project was ultimately halted by the state Supreme Court.

In October 2018 the high court gave the international consortium the green light to proceed with its plans. But last year protesters blocked access again when TMT attempted to move grading equipment up the mountain. That led to a standoff and further delay under the weight of the COVID-19 outbreak.

With a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3%, the new survey sampled for key characteristics, such as age, ethnicity and gender and island of residence, to reflect the demographics of Hawaii based on Census data.

Some 70% of the 504 poll participants were Oahu residents and 13% were from Hawaii island. Those who identified themselves as Native Hawaiian or part-Native Hawaiian made up 22% of those polled.

According to the survey, two-thirds of the Hawaii residents support the use of law enforcement to provide access to the mountain and to allow other projects to proceed around the state.

In addition, three-fourths agreed that government should enforce the law and peacefully arrest protesters that break the law.

“That is strong support from those who want to see Hawaii’s laws followed and enforced,” Squires said.

Andre Perez, a leader of the largely Native Hawaiian “protectors,” said TMT is “grasping at straws” with its latest poll.

“The only poll they should be concerned about is the thousands and thousands who will continue to resist and protect the mauna from their desecration,” he said.

“TMT get deaf ear,” said Perez, who was arrested on Mauna Kea during the 2015 protests. “They can’t seem to grasp the message we are trying to tell them. They’re trying to find support anywhere they can but they don’t want to listen to the Hawaiian people who have the kuleana to protect the sacred mauna.”

But Sam King, a Hawaiian attorney who leads the pro-TMT group Imua TMT, said he isn’t surprised by the uptick in public support for the project.

“Imua TMT has been pushing back on the fake news online by spreading more accurate information. It’s not surprising that people are coming around to supporting it,” he said.

King said support for TMT would be even greater if the poll were taken today, with Hawaii’s economy in turmoil and leaders talking about the need for new economic drivers, shovel-ready projects and diversifying the economy.

“It’s become painfully obvious that TMT is the project that should be built now — and not later,” he said.

Other findings in TMT’s poll:

>> 92% of Hawaii residents agree there should be a way for science and Hawaiian culture both to exist on the mountain.

>> 83% agree that the protest on Mauna Kea is really about issues larger than TMT, such as Hawaiian homelands, overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom, and land management.

>> 80% of Hawaii residents agree that peaceful protests are fine but have no tolerance for protests that result in laws being broken.

>> 79% of Hawaii residents agree that the government is responsible for providing safe construction access to the TMT site.

>> 76% agree that TMT will help create good-paying jobs and economic and educational benefits for those living on the Big Island.

>> 65% of residents agree that failure to move forward with TMT will lead to the departure of Hawaii’s $167-million astronomy industry.

Squires said Mauna Kea continues to be the TMT’s preferred choice of location, while La Palma in Spain’s Canary Islands remains the alternative site.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed the manufacturing of TMT parts, work is still being done to advance the project, he said.

The TMT is a collaboration between the University of California, Caltech and the science agencies in India, China, Canada and Japan.