Healani Sonoda-Pale shared a link.
Kauwila Kaylene Sheldon shared a post.
E onipa`a!
Healani Sonoda-Pale shared a link.
Thirty Meter Telescope opponents pledge to hold steady as project’s construction nears
By Timothy Hurley Today Updated 2:33 p.m.
...
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
By Timothy Hurley Today Updated 2:33 p.m.
...
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
Kealoha Pisciotta, of Mauna Kea Anaina Hou, speaks at a news conference in front of the Department of Land and Natural Resources at the Kalanimoku Building at 1151 Punchbowl St. today. Opponents to the Thirty Meter Telescope pledge to continue to resist construction of the project on Mauna Kea.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this photo provided by Pi’ikea Keawekane-Stafford, state and county officials remove Native Hawaiian structures from Mauna Kea, on June 20, just hours before state officials announced that construction of the long-delayed, controversial Thirty Meter Telescope will proceed on the mountain. Today, TMT opponents in Honolulu complained of what they said are heavy-handed state tactics against their protests.
Next1 / 2
The opposition to the Thirty Meter Telescope this morning vowed to stand firm against the cutting-edge observatory expected to begin construction atop Mauna Kea in the next few months.
In a news conference at the Honolulu headquarters of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, the “protectors” of Hawaii’s tallest mountain called on the state, the University of Hawaii and the TMT International Observatory board of governors to stand down on a $1.4 billion project which opponents say will desecrate sacred land.
With more than 50 people holding signs and flags of protest, speakers complained of heavy-handed state tactics in removing Native Hawaiian structures from the mountain, including two ahu, or altars, which were built on the TMT site in 2015.
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“We’re also here to voice our concerns over what looks like the state’s gearing up for the excessive use of violence when the protectors of Mauna Kea have only shown aloha in this struggle,” said Candace Fujikane, board member of KAHEA: The Hawaiian Environmental Alliance.
“I want to ask the question here: Why is the state risking our lives and our safety for a private corporation?” Fujikane added. “They are looking at arresting us for a private corporation and we need to ask the question: Why?…Why?”
KAHEA attorney Lance Collins called on DLNR and Gov. David Ige to renounce the use of a recently purchased Long-Range Acoustic Device, also called a sound canon, which has been used for crowd control and confrontations with protesters at Standing Rock and elsewhere.
Collins said the device potentially violates state and federal laws and a United Nations’ convention against using military weapons for torture.
In a statement, the DLNR said the purchase from the LRAD Corp. was for a portable battery powered public address and hailing system and not a weapon.
“We understand and acknowledge the concerns raised regarding use of excessive force on nonviolent noncombatants. The LRAD system purchased by DOCARE is not intended to be used in that way,” the statement said.
The state last week issued a “notice to proceed” for construction of the 180-foot tall observatory on Mauna Kea following more than 10 years of planning, approvals and delay. TMT officials said construction would begin this summer after consulting with state officials on logistical concerns.
University officials have said they tried to work with foes regarding their plans to removal of the unpermitted structures on the mountain.
See MoreASSOCIATED PRESS
In this photo provided by Pi’ikea Keawekane-Stafford, state and county officials remove Native Hawaiian structures from Mauna Kea, on June 20, just hours before state officials announced that construction of the long-delayed, controversial Thirty Meter Telescope will proceed on the mountain. Today, TMT opponents in Honolulu complained of what they said are heavy-handed state tactics against their protests.
Next1 / 2
The opposition to the Thirty Meter Telescope this morning vowed to stand firm against the cutting-edge observatory expected to begin construction atop Mauna Kea in the next few months.
In a news conference at the Honolulu headquarters of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, the “protectors” of Hawaii’s tallest mountain called on the state, the University of Hawaii and the TMT International Observatory board of governors to stand down on a $1.4 billion project which opponents say will desecrate sacred land.
With more than 50 people holding signs and flags of protest, speakers complained of heavy-handed state tactics in removing Native Hawaiian structures from the mountain, including two ahu, or altars, which were built on the TMT site in 2015.
ADVERTISING
“We’re also here to voice our concerns over what looks like the state’s gearing up for the excessive use of violence when the protectors of Mauna Kea have only shown aloha in this struggle,” said Candace Fujikane, board member of KAHEA: The Hawaiian Environmental Alliance.
“I want to ask the question here: Why is the state risking our lives and our safety for a private corporation?” Fujikane added. “They are looking at arresting us for a private corporation and we need to ask the question: Why?…Why?”
KAHEA attorney Lance Collins called on DLNR and Gov. David Ige to renounce the use of a recently purchased Long-Range Acoustic Device, also called a sound canon, which has been used for crowd control and confrontations with protesters at Standing Rock and elsewhere.
Collins said the device potentially violates state and federal laws and a United Nations’ convention against using military weapons for torture.
In a statement, the DLNR said the purchase from the LRAD Corp. was for a portable battery powered public address and hailing system and not a weapon.
“We understand and acknowledge the concerns raised regarding use of excessive force on nonviolent noncombatants. The LRAD system purchased by DOCARE is not intended to be used in that way,” the statement said.
The state last week issued a “notice to proceed” for construction of the 180-foot tall observatory on Mauna Kea following more than 10 years of planning, approvals and delay. TMT officials said construction would begin this summer after consulting with state officials on logistical concerns.
University officials have said they tried to work with foes regarding their plans to removal of the unpermitted structures on the mountain.
Kauwila Kaylene Sheldon shared a post.
Press Conference @ Kalanimoku, Shelley Muneoka’s statement, she is on point like always. Always protect Mauna Kea.
KAHEA: The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance
KAHEA's Statement at Kū Kiaʻi Mauna Press Conference
Aloha, my name is Shelley Muneoka and Iʻm speaking today as a board member of KAHEA: The Hawaiian-Environme...ntal Alliance. Last weekʻs press conference hit the pinnacle of absurdity when just hours after seeing cherished hale and ahu destroyed, Governor Ige declared that the State would “proceed in a way that respects the people, place and culture that make Hawaiʻi unique”. Itʻs not respectful to throw cultural and religious items into a truck labeled “Junk Removal”. Nor is it respectful to see workers flinging the stones that once formed the foundation of a beloved community gathering space through their legs. UH President Lassner offered an apology for the pain that he knows TMT will cause, but forges ahead anyway. He claimed that TMT will be the last new site developed on Mauna Kea and pledged to decommission 5 other telescopes -- which is already a requirement of the current general lease that expires in 2033 and is therefore an unimpressive claim of mitigation for the construction of an 18-story building. Governor Ige closed with a patronizing warning to those who want to “exercise their constitutional right of free speech” to conduct ourselves without endangering the lives of others. An ironic statement considering that in the past kiaʻi mauna on Haleakalā -- also defending against a telescope -- shielded with lei, prayer and song, were confronted by law enforcement armed with guns, riot gear and a sound cannon. A military grade weapon that KAHEA recently learned docare (dlnr enforcement) has procured.
Aloha, my name is Shelley Muneoka and Iʻm speaking today as a board member of KAHEA: The Hawaiian-Environme...ntal Alliance. Last weekʻs press conference hit the pinnacle of absurdity when just hours after seeing cherished hale and ahu destroyed, Governor Ige declared that the State would “proceed in a way that respects the people, place and culture that make Hawaiʻi unique”. Itʻs not respectful to throw cultural and religious items into a truck labeled “Junk Removal”. Nor is it respectful to see workers flinging the stones that once formed the foundation of a beloved community gathering space through their legs. UH President Lassner offered an apology for the pain that he knows TMT will cause, but forges ahead anyway. He claimed that TMT will be the last new site developed on Mauna Kea and pledged to decommission 5 other telescopes -- which is already a requirement of the current general lease that expires in 2033 and is therefore an unimpressive claim of mitigation for the construction of an 18-story building. Governor Ige closed with a patronizing warning to those who want to “exercise their constitutional right of free speech” to conduct ourselves without endangering the lives of others. An ironic statement considering that in the past kiaʻi mauna on Haleakalā -- also defending against a telescope -- shielded with lei, prayer and song, were confronted by law enforcement armed with guns, riot gear and a sound cannon. A military grade weapon that KAHEA recently learned docare (dlnr enforcement) has procured.
Following last weekʻs insistence by the state that TMT had met all its pre-construction conditions, KAHEA sent out an action alert to our supporters about a hearing for a water permit that we believed TMT had yet to obtain. Over 1,400 people submitted testimony in just a few days, showing how much Mauna Kea means to our community. Unfortunately, we learned that the department of Health elected to grant an administrative extension on TMTʻs 2014 stormwater runoff permit, buying them another 5 years without any further public review. This is the technicality on which TMT claims to have “obtained” this necessary permit. Today we challenge UH, TMT and the State to not merely aim for what is technically legal, but for what is right, fair and moral.
I just want to close with a quick message to the kiaʻi across the pae ʻāina and beyond. Itʻs time for hard conversations with family and friends. We need you to reach out and educate the people who know and trust you. Now is the time to prepare. Find like-minded, like-valued folks and form relationships and make plans to take care of each other in this struggle. We have a long road ahead and it is important to mālama ourselves and each other. Many people have asked about fundraisers or ways to help, we will be putting out a list of vetted organizations to give to, please look for that and give to whoever you know and trust. Mahalo nui to everyone for coming today, to the kiaʻi standing behind us and for those who continue to stand. We want to especially thank the speakers who represent a broad base of support and love for Mauna Kea.
Permanent link: http://kahea.org/kaheas-statement-at-ku-kia-i-mauna-press-c…
See MoreI just want to close with a quick message to the kiaʻi across the pae ʻāina and beyond. Itʻs time for hard conversations with family and friends. We need you to reach out and educate the people who know and trust you. Now is the time to prepare. Find like-minded, like-valued folks and form relationships and make plans to take care of each other in this struggle. We have a long road ahead and it is important to mālama ourselves and each other. Many people have asked about fundraisers or ways to help, we will be putting out a list of vetted organizations to give to, please look for that and give to whoever you know and trust. Mahalo nui to everyone for coming today, to the kiaʻi standing behind us and for those who continue to stand. We want to especially thank the speakers who represent a broad base of support and love for Mauna Kea.
Permanent link: http://kahea.org/kaheas-statement-at-ku-kia-i-mauna-press-c…
Kapohuolahaina Moniz Pa shared a post.
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Kamamaluula News
Mauna Kea Press Conference
Citizens voiced their support of Kiai after the Press Conference with prayers, songs, and chants. See our Facebook for Full Livestream Video, and check in next week for one on one interviews with Press Conference Speakers.
#HawaiianPress
Citizens voiced their support of Kiai after the Press Conference with prayers, songs, and chants. See our Facebook for Full Livestream Video, and check in next week for one on one interviews with Press Conference Speakers.
#HawaiianPress
Press Release for the Kū Kiaʻi Mauna press conference on Friday, June 28th, at the Kalanimoku Building, 1151 Punchbowl St, Honolulu
Contact person: Candace Fujikane, fujikane@hawaii.edu
HONOLULU, HAWAII - On Friday, June 28th, protectors of Mauna Kea will hold a press conference before the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) board meeting, its first public meeting scheduled since it authorized the removal of two hale and two ahu from Mauna Kea on Thursday, June 20th. In ...response to state actions, the protectors will speak about the significance of the hale and ahu and the concerns they have with the potential uses of excessive force in upcoming actions
Those scheduled to speak at the press conference include Kealoha Pisciotta (Mauna Kea Anaina Hou), Billy Freitas (practitioner of uhau humu pōhaku, stone wall masonry), Davianna McGregor (Kanaka Maoli scholar), Noealani Ahia (Haleakalā protector), Shelley Muneoka (KAHEA: The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance), and Lance Collins (attorney representing KAHEA). Speakers will address the serious problems raised by the proposed Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), implications of the failure to protect natural resources, the violation of Native Hawaiian customary and traditional practices, and DLNR’s recently purchased Long-Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), also called a sound cannon, which has been used for crowd control at confrontations with water protectors at Standing Rock and potentially violates state and federal laws.
Shortly after the removal of the hale and ahu, Governor Ige, Attorney General Clare Connors, Department of Land and Natural Resources Director Suzanne Case, and UH President David Lassner held a press conference on the state’s action, maintaining that these were “unauthorized structures.” AG Connors further stated that “The two structures at the summit were reviewed by the Hawai’I Supreme Court as well as the board. They were determined not to bear any traditional customary significance.” Protectors, however, insist that the two ahu at the summit and the hale located near Hale Pōhaku were built in ceremony to honor the sacred mountain and to serve as a site of religious observance and practice for Native Hawaiians.
On June 24th, 2015, TMT construction crews, escorted by Hawaiʻi County and State DOCARE officers, attempted to make their way to the summit of Mauna Kea, but were stopped at Hale Pōhaku by protectors. Offering ti leaf lei to the crews and their escorts for protection and chanting in ceremony, the protectors stood in lines across the Access Road to safeguard the mountain from the construction of the TMT. The proposed TMT would excavate five acres, 20 feet into the earth, removing 66,000 cubic yards of the sacred mountain— the equivalent of 1,782,000 cubic feet of earth.
See MoreThose scheduled to speak at the press conference include Kealoha Pisciotta (Mauna Kea Anaina Hou), Billy Freitas (practitioner of uhau humu pōhaku, stone wall masonry), Davianna McGregor (Kanaka Maoli scholar), Noealani Ahia (Haleakalā protector), Shelley Muneoka (KAHEA: The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance), and Lance Collins (attorney representing KAHEA). Speakers will address the serious problems raised by the proposed Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), implications of the failure to protect natural resources, the violation of Native Hawaiian customary and traditional practices, and DLNR’s recently purchased Long-Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), also called a sound cannon, which has been used for crowd control at confrontations with water protectors at Standing Rock and potentially violates state and federal laws.
Shortly after the removal of the hale and ahu, Governor Ige, Attorney General Clare Connors, Department of Land and Natural Resources Director Suzanne Case, and UH President David Lassner held a press conference on the state’s action, maintaining that these were “unauthorized structures.” AG Connors further stated that “The two structures at the summit were reviewed by the Hawai’I Supreme Court as well as the board. They were determined not to bear any traditional customary significance.” Protectors, however, insist that the two ahu at the summit and the hale located near Hale Pōhaku were built in ceremony to honor the sacred mountain and to serve as a site of religious observance and practice for Native Hawaiians.
On June 24th, 2015, TMT construction crews, escorted by Hawaiʻi County and State DOCARE officers, attempted to make their way to the summit of Mauna Kea, but were stopped at Hale Pōhaku by protectors. Offering ti leaf lei to the crews and their escorts for protection and chanting in ceremony, the protectors stood in lines across the Access Road to safeguard the mountain from the construction of the TMT. The proposed TMT would excavate five acres, 20 feet into the earth, removing 66,000 cubic yards of the sacred mountain— the equivalent of 1,782,000 cubic feet of earth.
Article by Eileen Cain
Aloha, Kakou! I submitted the following letter to the editor to the Hawai'i Tribune-Herald a couple of days ago. I don't know if they plan to publish it or not. I think that those of us who are not Hawaiian but support na kia'i mauna need to speak up publicly. Martin Luther King, Jr. was critical of whites who remained silent. Yet I don't want to say anything that might make matters worse for kanaka maoli. If any of these ideas might be useful to anyone..., they are free to use it. I hope what I wrote is helpful, and if it is, I would use it as the basis of a larger article for Civil Beat's Community Voices section.
It’s Not About a Telescope
The issue on Mauna Kea is not about a telescope, though some state officials may claim otherwise. Sending a telescope into outer space would be more effective, yielding the clearest views of the universe by eliminating atmospheric distortions, like the Hubble, only better. Students and the public would benefit.
Why are government officials insisting on a fourteenth land-based telescope? Follow the money and the egos. The way some government officials have approached this issue smacks of greed, misappropriated power, and racist attitudes. Some people in power give the appearance of “respecting” Native Hawaiians – as long as they stay in “their place,” and there are non-Hawaiians in government who want to define what “their place” is. Native Hawaiians are often expected to allow themselves, the lands, and the waters to be exploited. Their rights to practice their religion where and when they see fit are not being honored. Some officials seem to feel free to bully them, directly or indirectly, if they assert their natural human rights. What kind of “respect” is that?
Mauna Kea now and the Kaho‘olawe actions of the past have something in common. The Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana went to the island to do what their name says: protect it from exploitation. Mauna Kea also has protectors. Similar power dynamics, different location.
If an agency has the power to grant a permit, it also has the power not to! Official panels should not just go through the motions of holding hearings, only to ignore the weight of public testimony. The government’s rationalizations about its behavior regarding Mauna Kea are not credible; its silencing tactics are unjust.
Native Hawaiians are best able to determine appropriate uses of Mauna Kea. As a haole (white) resident of Hawai‘i for more than forty years, I support them in doing so.
Sincerely,
Eileen Cain, Honolulu, Hawai‘i
See More
Aloha, Kakou! I submitted the following letter to the editor to the Hawai'i Tribune-Herald a couple of days ago. I don't know if they plan to publish it or not. I think that those of us who are not Hawaiian but support na kia'i mauna need to speak up publicly. Martin Luther King, Jr. was critical of whites who remained silent. Yet I don't want to say anything that might make matters worse for kanaka maoli. If any of these ideas might be useful to anyone..., they are free to use it. I hope what I wrote is helpful, and if it is, I would use it as the basis of a larger article for Civil Beat's Community Voices section.
It’s Not About a Telescope
The issue on Mauna Kea is not about a telescope, though some state officials may claim otherwise. Sending a telescope into outer space would be more effective, yielding the clearest views of the universe by eliminating atmospheric distortions, like the Hubble, only better. Students and the public would benefit.
Why are government officials insisting on a fourteenth land-based telescope? Follow the money and the egos. The way some government officials have approached this issue smacks of greed, misappropriated power, and racist attitudes. Some people in power give the appearance of “respecting” Native Hawaiians – as long as they stay in “their place,” and there are non-Hawaiians in government who want to define what “their place” is. Native Hawaiians are often expected to allow themselves, the lands, and the waters to be exploited. Their rights to practice their religion where and when they see fit are not being honored. Some officials seem to feel free to bully them, directly or indirectly, if they assert their natural human rights. What kind of “respect” is that?
Mauna Kea now and the Kaho‘olawe actions of the past have something in common. The Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana went to the island to do what their name says: protect it from exploitation. Mauna Kea also has protectors. Similar power dynamics, different location.
If an agency has the power to grant a permit, it also has the power not to! Official panels should not just go through the motions of holding hearings, only to ignore the weight of public testimony. The government’s rationalizations about its behavior regarding Mauna Kea are not credible; its silencing tactics are unjust.
Native Hawaiians are best able to determine appropriate uses of Mauna Kea. As a haole (white) resident of Hawai‘i for more than forty years, I support them in doing so.
Sincerely,
Eileen Cain, Honolulu, Hawai‘i
See More
Kauwila Kaylene Sheldon shared a post.
Ode to Mauna Kea
Mahina Poepoe is with Kealoha Pisciotta and 2 others.
Ode to Mauna Kea by Jayson Mizula in our Molokai Dispatch Newspaper 🏔💓 "there is no reason to trust anything good will come from this telescope, sure we can all hope, but our taxes buy the rope used to hang cultures out to dry, as mother earth is still sliced like a pineapple" #aoletmt
Healani Sonoda-Pale shared a live video.
1,303 Views
Kāhealani Alapai was live.
Kealoha Pisciotta just came down from Mauna Kea summit where she was in prayer and the news media showed up unexpectedly. #AlohaMaunaKea #WaoAkua
Adam Asing shared a post.
![Image may contain: text that says '"However PerFect [CHE cOPernican MODEL] may appear In our own estimation, anD However SIMPLY anD SatiSFaCtOrILY CHE Newtonian HYPOTHESIS may seem το us το account FOR aLL cHe CelestIaL PHEnomena, yet we are Here COMPELLeD το aDmIt tHe astoUNDInG trutH, IF our premises Be DISPUTED anD our FACtS CHALLENGED, THE WHOLE RANGE OF ASTRONOMY DOES NOT CONTAIN ONE PROOF OF ITS OWN ACCURACY." -ROBErt WOODHOUSE, PrOFesSor OF AStRONOMY at CamBrIDGe PHOIOGRAPHY'](https://scontent.fhnl1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/s526x296/65393192_3030792710294892_2410491081381642240_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&_nc_eui2=AeEZf1jFXAECJe4MVirLaVY3uUoy3LLaFSldR_Wz4qzhbzGxyK-f-W908J7_YGHur45ZQlGd3z_mkEfV3lITn-Vg-z6kWoqQyo2Omq00gmCQ6A&_nc_oc=AQlz6f1u2zprFuS_OykydX7ZrV6hpHf6urE37JdepbdrCVTzNe1OdyFy3q3pItbuxY4&_nc_ht=scontent.fhnl1-1.fna&oh=8ff628bd06839cac2c7e7bac2d0a0a04&oe=5DC656A5)
Adam Asing
Calling out all TMT astronomers and astrophysicists to a science debate.
TMT supporters are more than welcome to chime in. The more the merrier. I’ll take you ...all at once.
TMT supporters are more than welcome to chime in. The more the merrier. I’ll take you ...all at once.
I’m disputing your premises and challenging your facts.
Prove to me through empirical means why Hawaii needs telescopes on our Mauna. Simple.
Please have your empirical evidence ready to go. Simple 😎
See MoreProve to me through empirical means why Hawaii needs telescopes on our Mauna. Simple.
Please have your empirical evidence ready to go. Simple 😎
Healani Sonoda-Pale shared a live video.
Kealoha Pisciotta’s response to the desecration and destruction of the places of worship and Gov Ige’s press conference. #AlohaMaunaKea
7,411 Views
Kāhealani Alapai was live.
Kealoha Pisciotta’s response to the desecration and destruction of the places of worship and Gov Ige’s press conference. #AlohaMaunaKea
Joshua Lanakila Mangauil shared a link.
Kauwila Kaylene Sheldon shared a link.
https://youtu.be/l9fv_2XIJBk
So in this Ted Talk- he talks about protecting ecosystems, Kapu, aloha ‘Āina, Hawaiian values, wao akua....actions means more than just words...if you dedicating your life to conservation for more than 20 years why give up now? #A’ole TMT #Don’tGiveUp
So in this Ted Talk- he talks about protecting ecosystems, Kapu, aloha ‘Āina, Hawaiian values, wao akua....actions means more than just words...if you dedicating your life to conservation for more than 20 years why give up now? #A’ole TMT #Don’tGiveUp
Kalama O Ka Aina shared a live video.
2,062 Views
Kauwila Kaylene Sheldon shared a post.
Hawaii isn’t paradise like how people think it is...😓☹️😭
Joshua Lanakila Mangauil
5:45AM UPDATES: the Hale is Gone!
DLNR & HPD are on the Mauna right now in the early morning dark hours preparing to rip down and desecrate the prayer house of maun protectors, Hale'oKukia'imauna!!
Then word is they are planning to tare down the other Ahu on the mauna!!
DLNR & HPD are on the Mauna right now in the early morning dark hours preparing to rip down and desecrate the prayer house of maun protectors, Hale'oKukia'imauna!!
Then word is they are planning to tare down the other Ahu on the mauna!!
Kauwila Kaylene Sheldon shared a live video.
DLNR don’t know what the 🤬is “E ‘ala e”-all they know is how to intimidate & dismantle!
43,011 Views
Kauwila Kaylene Sheldon shared a post.
“Say No to TMT even if you support it” #’A’oleTMT
Healani Sonoda-Pale shared a link.
Editorial | Island Voices
Column: Say ‘no’ to TMT, even if you support it
By Pualani Kanahele, Jonathan Kamakawiwoʻole Osorio and Kealoha Pisciotta June 16,... 2019
Column: Say ‘no’ to TMT, even if you support it
By Pualani Kanahele, Jonathan Kamakawiwoʻole Osorio and Kealoha Pisciotta June 16,... 2019
TIM WRIGHT / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Snow dusted the Mauna Kea summit in February; observatories could be seen in the distance.
Submitted in solidarity with more than 80 community leaders, cultural practitioners and others who support Mauna Kea as well as Hawaii’s land conservation laws.
—
Whatever your personal feelings about the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) might be, the fallout from the way the project is bulldozing ahead should alarm you.
The decisions attempting to greenlight the controversial telescope’s construction show very little foresight. The ripples that come in their wake will negatively impact the way we interact with the land and sea far into the future.
Back in October, the news media shared a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling that allows the state Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) to grant the TMT project a permit to build its 5-acre, 18-story project in the conservation district of Mauna Kea.
But what the media glossed over was a key argument used to justify the approval, an argument that dissenting Justice Michael Wilson warned would have huge ramifications for protecting important environmental and cultural sites.
Under heavy political pressure, the Supreme Court justices adopted the BLNR’s illogical and self-serving argument that the previous degradation of Mauna Kea by other telescope projects had created so much damage that there was no need to protect an as-yet-untouched northern plateau of Mauna Kea from harm that would be inflicted by the TMT.
The outcome is that “one of the most sacred resources of the Hawaiian culture loses its protection because it has previously undergone substantial adverse impact from prior development of telescopes” — or in other words, the ruling “violates norms of environmental law,” said Justice Wilson.
If we follow the BLNR’s “logic,” there’s no reason to remove ordnance from Kaho‘olawe, Pohakuloa or Makua, since the military so thoroughly bombed them. There’s no need to clean up the Ala Wai. It’s far too polluted. And there’s no point in stopping plastics from entering the ocean. The Pacific Garbage Patch is already double the size of Texas.
Thus, even if you support the TMT, the justification being used to push the project forward sets a dangerous precedent and has an adverse effect on any place in Hawaii that you hold dear.
Following this reasoning, it would be OK to allow harms such as those outlined below to occur on Mauna Kea, in a most significant conservation district protected by numerous laws:
>> Chemical waste and human waste to leak undetected from two 5,000 gallon storage tanks two stories under the TMT, adding to three previous instances of mercury spills from existing telescopes.
>> Pollution to poison aquifers that Hawaii Island’s communities rely on that are fed by water filtering through Mauna Kea.
>> An 18-story, 5-acre building to loom over a conservation district on an island where nothing is allowed to exceed the height of seven stories.
>> Hawaiians to be prevented from practicing the most fundamental and meaningful aspects of their culture, which compels them to conserve sacred places — while the state uses their culture to drive its tourist economy.
>> Laws put in place to protect conservation districts to be ignored, if managers, like the University of Hawaii in this case, have grossly mismanaged those places in the past (see past UH Mauna Kea management audits from 1998, 2005, 2014, and 2017).
Is that how we want to treat our most environmentally and culturally significant places in Hawaii?
If you care about the integrity of Hawaii’s most environmentally pristine places, if you care about following both the letter and spirit of our community’s laws, if you want Hawaii to remain the Hawaii that you have come to love, please join us in saying “no” to TMT. It’s not too late.
See MoreSnow dusted the Mauna Kea summit in February; observatories could be seen in the distance.
Submitted in solidarity with more than 80 community leaders, cultural practitioners and others who support Mauna Kea as well as Hawaii’s land conservation laws.
—
Whatever your personal feelings about the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) might be, the fallout from the way the project is bulldozing ahead should alarm you.
The decisions attempting to greenlight the controversial telescope’s construction show very little foresight. The ripples that come in their wake will negatively impact the way we interact with the land and sea far into the future.
Back in October, the news media shared a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling that allows the state Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) to grant the TMT project a permit to build its 5-acre, 18-story project in the conservation district of Mauna Kea.
But what the media glossed over was a key argument used to justify the approval, an argument that dissenting Justice Michael Wilson warned would have huge ramifications for protecting important environmental and cultural sites.
Under heavy political pressure, the Supreme Court justices adopted the BLNR’s illogical and self-serving argument that the previous degradation of Mauna Kea by other telescope projects had created so much damage that there was no need to protect an as-yet-untouched northern plateau of Mauna Kea from harm that would be inflicted by the TMT.
The outcome is that “one of the most sacred resources of the Hawaiian culture loses its protection because it has previously undergone substantial adverse impact from prior development of telescopes” — or in other words, the ruling “violates norms of environmental law,” said Justice Wilson.
If we follow the BLNR’s “logic,” there’s no reason to remove ordnance from Kaho‘olawe, Pohakuloa or Makua, since the military so thoroughly bombed them. There’s no need to clean up the Ala Wai. It’s far too polluted. And there’s no point in stopping plastics from entering the ocean. The Pacific Garbage Patch is already double the size of Texas.
Thus, even if you support the TMT, the justification being used to push the project forward sets a dangerous precedent and has an adverse effect on any place in Hawaii that you hold dear.
Following this reasoning, it would be OK to allow harms such as those outlined below to occur on Mauna Kea, in a most significant conservation district protected by numerous laws:
>> Chemical waste and human waste to leak undetected from two 5,000 gallon storage tanks two stories under the TMT, adding to three previous instances of mercury spills from existing telescopes.
>> Pollution to poison aquifers that Hawaii Island’s communities rely on that are fed by water filtering through Mauna Kea.
>> An 18-story, 5-acre building to loom over a conservation district on an island where nothing is allowed to exceed the height of seven stories.
>> Hawaiians to be prevented from practicing the most fundamental and meaningful aspects of their culture, which compels them to conserve sacred places — while the state uses their culture to drive its tourist economy.
>> Laws put in place to protect conservation districts to be ignored, if managers, like the University of Hawaii in this case, have grossly mismanaged those places in the past (see past UH Mauna Kea management audits from 1998, 2005, 2014, and 2017).
Is that how we want to treat our most environmentally and culturally significant places in Hawaii?
If you care about the integrity of Hawaii’s most environmentally pristine places, if you care about following both the letter and spirit of our community’s laws, if you want Hawaii to remain the Hawaii that you have come to love, please join us in saying “no” to TMT. It’s not too late.
Kauwila Kaylene Sheldon shared a post.
June 25th, written testimony 📝
Candace Fujikane
AWESOME news for the protectors of Mauna a Wākea!
Thanks to Pua Case's persistence, we got a public hearing on the TMTʻs application for the NPDES (the water po...llution control) permit! This is specific to the TMT's discharging storm water associated with construction activities.
Thanks to Pua Case's persistence, we got a public hearing on the TMTʻs application for the NPDES (the water po...llution control) permit! This is specific to the TMT's discharging storm water associated with construction activities.
This is scheduled for Tuesday, June 25 at 5:00 in Kona at the West Hawaii Civic Center.
I am attaching the notice below, but it says that the Department of Health will receive verbal and written testimony at a public hearing starting at 5:00pm on the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) application and draft permit to discharge storm water associated with construction activities from the TMT International Observatory facility, to receiving State waters, subject to special conditions.
Persons desiring to speak are asked to submit 2 copies of their statement before or at the hearing. Written statements are accepted until 4:30pm on Tuesday, June 25, at cleanwaterbranch@doh.hawaii.gov or at P.O. Box 3378, Honolulu, Hawaii 96801-3378.
For more information, please see attachment. Pua CaseCheryl AnnKu ChingEK FloresKealoha PisciottaKeomailani Von GoghDeborah WardBianca IsakiShelley MuneokaLauren MuneokaMarti TownsendHealani Sonoda-PaleAndre PerezCamille KalamaPaul NevesLeina'ala Sleightholm MaunaKea'OhanaMehana KihoiHāwane RiosHank FergerstromBaron ChingLynette CruzKahookahi KanuhaKaukaohu WahilaniPiikea Keawekane-StaffordNo'eau Woo O BrienCynthia FranklinNoe Goodyear-KaopuaNoe LaniNoe LopesKerry Kamakaoka'ilimaRuth AlouaMahealani AhiaKalani YoungPaul NevesLaulani TealeKelii FreitasKahele DukelowKalama O Ka AinaHiwa Ka'apuniKauwila Kaylene SheldonPono KealohaPūpūhīhīwai KimKaipulaumakaniolono BakerMakoa Freitas HoiPuanani IkedaLā K. EaIsaac Harp - PakaTammy Harp'Ohulei Waia'u
See MoreI am attaching the notice below, but it says that the Department of Health will receive verbal and written testimony at a public hearing starting at 5:00pm on the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) application and draft permit to discharge storm water associated with construction activities from the TMT International Observatory facility, to receiving State waters, subject to special conditions.
Persons desiring to speak are asked to submit 2 copies of their statement before or at the hearing. Written statements are accepted until 4:30pm on Tuesday, June 25, at cleanwaterbranch@doh.hawaii.gov or at P.O. Box 3378, Honolulu, Hawaii 96801-3378.
For more information, please see attachment. Pua CaseCheryl AnnKu ChingEK FloresKealoha PisciottaKeomailani Von GoghDeborah WardBianca IsakiShelley MuneokaLauren MuneokaMarti TownsendHealani Sonoda-PaleAndre PerezCamille KalamaPaul NevesLeina'ala Sleightholm MaunaKea'OhanaMehana KihoiHāwane RiosHank FergerstromBaron ChingLynette CruzKahookahi KanuhaKaukaohu WahilaniPiikea Keawekane-StaffordNo'eau Woo O BrienCynthia FranklinNoe Goodyear-KaopuaNoe LaniNoe LopesKerry Kamakaoka'ilimaRuth AlouaMahealani AhiaKalani YoungPaul NevesLaulani TealeKelii FreitasKahele DukelowKalama O Ka AinaHiwa Ka'apuniKauwila Kaylene SheldonPono KealohaPūpūhīhīwai KimKaipulaumakaniolono BakerMakoa Freitas HoiPuanani IkedaLā K. EaIsaac Harp - PakaTammy Harp'Ohulei Waia'u
Kauwila Kaylene Sheldon shared a post.
Awesome work!
Candace Fujikane
"UC should stop funding Mauna Kea telescope construction"
Wow, wow, wow! Awesome support for Mauna a Wākea from the Indigenous Americas Working Group at UC Ber...keley! Powerful letter! Mahalo to Nelson Ho for sending us the link! #TMTshutdown
https://www.dailycal.org/…/uc-should-stop-funding-mauna-k…/…
Wow, wow, wow! Awesome support for Mauna a Wākea from the Indigenous Americas Working Group at UC Ber...keley! Powerful letter! Mahalo to Nelson Ho for sending us the link! #TMTshutdown
https://www.dailycal.org/…/uc-should-stop-funding-mauna-k…/…
Pua CaseKealoha PisciottaEK FloresKu ChingDeborah WardPaul NevesLeina'ala Sleightholm MaunaKea'OhanaMehana KihoiLaulani TealeHank FergerstromPono KealohaPiikea Keawekane-StaffordNapua KeCynthia FranklinCristina BacchilegaKainoa BugadoPuanani IkedaPuanani RogersKerry Kamakaoka'ilimaNoe Goodyear-KaopuaNoe LaniNoe LopesKaukaohu WahilaniNapua KeRebecca HogueLauren MullerCheryl AnnJoy EnomotoBianca IsakiShelley MuneokaLauren MuneokaNani PaiCorrina GouldSam IkeharaSarah KihoiJoseph HanKahele DukelowDemiliza Sagaral SaramosingJosephine Faith OngKatherine AchacosoMahealani AhiaMakoa Freitas HoiHiwa Ka'apuniKimchi CompostHāwane RiosGregory GushikenNicole FurtadoBecka GarrisonMikilani Young
See MoreKauwila Kaylene Sheldon shared a post.
Awesome support! #Kako’o
Candace Fujikane
Zoe Kravitz, immortalized as Leta Lestrange in Fantastic Beasts, standing for Mauna a Wākea!
Kauwila Kaylene Sheldon shared a post.
The State fast for put us out in coconut bras but slow for hear us ‘ōlelo Hawaii? How come like dat?
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