A new draft master plan released today for University of Hawaii-managed lands on Mauna Kea reaffirms a commitment to reduce the number of observatories at the summit from the current 13 to nine, and proposes repurposing substantial portions of the lower-elevation Halepohaku to support educational programs and field research beyond astronomy.
The plan, dubbed “E O I Ka Leo (Listen to the Voice),” aims to guide and prioritize specific land uses within UH-leased parcels over a 20-year period, including the addition of new facilities, improvements to existing facilities and the discontinued use of others. It updates the current master plan adopted in 2000.
UH officials said it is intended to complement, not replace, the Mauna Kea Comprehensive Management Plan, which is also being updated. That plan directs management of recreational, traditional and other activities and resources.
UH leases two parcels on Mauna Kea through the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. The lease on the 11,288-acre Mauna Kea Science Reserve expires at the end of 2033, and the lease on the 19-acre Halepohaku, formally named the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy, expires in 2041.
The decommissioning process is already underway for two observatories in the science reserve, UH-Hilo’s Hoku Ke‘a and the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory, and at least two additional facilities, yet to be determined, will be taken out of operation by the end of 2033, according to the draft master plan.
As part of a goal to maintain the Mauna Kea observatories’ status “as world leaders in astronomy,” the plan also allows for facilitating construction of the controversial, $2.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope, which is stalled indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors, not the least of which is vehement opposition from Native Hawaiians and others who consider Mauna Kea sacred ground.
Should the TMT come online, however, a fifth existing observatory will need to be decommissioned to keep the total at nine.
“It’s our intent to reduce our physical footprint in the summit region of Mauna Kea,” said Greg Chun, executive director of the UH-Hilo Center for Maunakea Stewardship. “That’s outlined in the plan through decommissioning, in particular. That is something … the public has clearly been articulating.”
Hand in hand with reducing the physical footprint, Chun said, “is making better use of existing facilities and sites, and committing to not develop in areas that haven’t already been developed.”
“In some respects this master plan is a little different than what most developers do when they propose a master plan, where they propose a big vision of all the things they’re going to do. What we’re actually trying to say here is we’re trying to do less and we’re trying to do better with what we have.”
Another key proposal in the draft master plan envisions turning “existing underutilized facilities” at Halepohaku into a “multidisciplinary field station.”
The Halepohaku parcel, located on the southern flank of Mauna Kea and ranging in elevation from 9,100 to 9,300 feet above sea level, currently contains facilities that support astronomy activities at the summit and accommodates day visitors.
Under the draft plan, the multidisciplinary field station would support expansion of research opportunities on Mauna Kea beyond astronomy for UH students, partner groups and the public, across broader fields of interests including physical, natural and social sciences and indigenous knowledge.
Another proposal would relocate UH-Hilo’s educational telescope and its “clamshell” 18-foot dome from the campus, where it is housed in a room, to Halepohaku.
The draft plan also provides mechanisms “to address shortcomings to build stakeholder confidence and trust so that UH may be provided the opportunity to continue and improve its management, stewardship, and research beyond 2033.”
UH has come under intense scrutiny in recent years for its management of Mauna Kea. An independent evaluation commissioned last year by DLNR gave the university mixed reviews in that regard, citing a failure to adequately consult with Native Hawaiians, which has led to mistrust and conflict in the community.
The DLNR report moved state House leaders earlier this year to establish the Mauna Kea Working Group to recommend a new management structure.
Oversight of the leased parcels lies with UH-Hilo, which last year established the Center for Maunakea Stewardship to provide a unified command for administering the area’s cultural, scientific and educational resources.
When asked whether the draft master plan would reassure stakeholders that UH has taken the past criticisms to heart, Chun replied: “The report itself is an example of how we’re trying to be responsive to the broad range of concerns.”
“This is actually the second draft of the report. Starting in November of last year through April of this year, we had a draft that we took out to a sampling of our stakeholders that included the agencies that we work closely with, community groups, UH faculty, etc., and this current draft really is a reflection of all that input that we collected,” he said. “We anticipate there’s going to be more changes to this draft based on the more public comments we receive now.”
What’s not reflected in the plan, he added, is “there’s work ongoing now looking at how our current community advisory groups can be strengthened to have broader representation of different voices in the community. So we are working on that.”
UH created a website to provide information on the draft “Master Plan for the University of Hawai‘i Maunakea Lands; E O I Ka Leo (Listen to the Voice)” and collect public feedback during the 45-day comment period ending Oct. 26. A virtual public forum will be scheduled for a date to be announced.
Chun said public input will be considered before an amended draft is submitted to the UH Board of Regents early next year for review and possibly further changes.
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Having a say
The public may review and provide comments on “The Master Plan for the University of Hawai‘i Maunakea Lands; E O I Ka Leo (Listen to the Voice)” at the website maunakea.konveio.com. Comments are due Oct. 26 and may also be submitted via telephone messages and mail, with instructions provided on the website.
