TMT Work to Resume Says Ige!

[PunaMauka2]

lol beejee

[TomK]

beejee,

"At this point Tom, how best to proceed? Form a petition to reverse the UKIRT decision?"

I don't think a petition is the way to go at this stage, it's far too early and they are so prone to abuse the numbers rarely mean much.

Right now this will be handled by the scientific community. UH will be asked to justify their decision (they have already been asked, informally, but stonewalled). For instance, NASA and the Arizona Steward Observatory will ask why UKIRT was chosen for decommissioning while two other observatories UH own, IRTF and the UH 88-inch were not chosen instead, despite the fact both are far less scientifically productive. The UH 88-inch is particularly unproductive.

Then the planetary protection scientists will want to know why their new capabilities are being taken away from them when the government has called for more research in that area.

Given the Hawaii political climate will likely be different in two or three years, Ige will likely be gone and no one really knows how the TMT project will progress at this stage, I don't think there's a need for others to involve themselves right now. I wouldn't want to stop you, but I suspect it'll be wasted effort.

[beejee]

Tom: I believe the work on the mountain is paramount. I'm willing to fight the battle whatever it takes to support the effort.

[TomK]

I appreciate your support, beejee, I really do. Things will settle down over the next year or two and then it'll be time to take stock. UKIRT has been under threat of closure since way back in the early 90s. It has always battled through by continually reinventing itself. However, all those closure threats were financially based, this one is politics, with a bit of finance thrown in, so it's very different.

[beepbeep]

Excuse my obtuseness, or maybe just lack of info, but why is the UH hanging onto the other two telescopes?

Pam in CA

[beepbeep]

Should telescopes be marked for decommissioning in order for the TMT to be permitted before construction for the TMT has been allowed to even begin?

Pam in CA

[dmbwest]

Tom ( + beepbeep ) can come work with pog anytime ... Shall be most fun but our foundation is liquid based


Good day ( and futures )
aloha,
pog

[TomK]

"Should telescopes be marked for decommissioning in order for the TMT to be permitted before construction for the TMT has been allowed to even begin?"

Of course not, but as I keep saying, this is a political decision, not a scientific one.

PS. The TMT has permission to start construction any day they want. The current lawsuit appeal doesn't affect that. If the final decision is to refer things back to the BLNR then yes, the permission to start construction will be delayed, but that hasn't happened yet and there's no indication when that decision will be made despite one or two posters thinking it'll be in a few days.

[beepbeep]

I guess I don't feel like it is really permitted until the state plans to keep protestors out of the way of the construction

Pam in CA

[TomK]

"I guess I don't feel like it is really permitted until the state plans to keep protestors out of the way of the construction "

You'll have to ask Governor Ige about that, after all, this thread is about him saying TMT work will resume.