TMT construction begins Monday 15 July

[glinda]

I don’t think anyone actually knows what’s been mismanaged. Every time I have asked the question no one has ever been able to explain.

That's a funny one Jim. I don't imagine you ever asked Google? But no need, I am sure you could find reams of it just doing a search here of prior threads. But then, if you'd like to assume otherwise more power to you.

Or hey, start with the link Ironyak provides... it's a good one.

I personally found Dan Ahuna's piece in CB a few years ago summed it up nicely..

https://www.civilbeat.org/2017/12/mauna-...anagement/

"For nearly half a century, the state of Hawaii and the University of Hawaii have failed their legal responsibility to properly manage Mauna Kea. Their mismanagement continued despite constant calls for reform from the community and the state auditor.

A review of this well-documented mismanagement leads to one conclusion: Appropriate management will only be achieved when control over the mountain is wrestled away from the university and an entirely new management structure is installed..."

Yeah, I know, it's a bit dated, and authored by an OHA Trustee, so maybe you no like. Though I would suggest giving it a once over. There's a lot of points Dan makes that are worth considering.

[knieft]

The spokesperson may well have prudence in mind. If there are actually hundred(s) of “protectors” up there, and if they can say, sheesh that gate makes me feel bad, and they take it down...

And the “protectors” have a checkpoint?

And staff are stuck up there on sacred ground...?

And among the “protectors” there may be a bad apple or two?

OTOH, the “protectors” must feel like hot snot in a Dixie cup, having shut down the whole summit. Aren’t they powerful?

Congrats to whoever is in charge, using the ACLU approach. If it works out, I will be very happy. If the extreme gets their way, not so much.

But my happiness is hardly relevant.

Cheers,
Kirt

[TomK]

Kirt - if you are referring to Jessica Dempsey's press conference, she was stating the MK Observatories' combined decision. Observatory staff were removed from the mountain because of safety concerns due to problems accessing the mountain above the checkpoint on the Mauna Kea access road. The concern is that people could be trapped on the mountain and in e.g., a case of a medical emergency, this is simply too much of a risk to take.

[kalakoa]

Observatory staff were removed from the mountain

Free telescopes. You haul.

[knieft]

quote:

---

Originally posted by TomK

Kirt - if you are referring to Jessica Dempsey's press conference, she was stating the MK Observatories' combined decision. Observatory staff were removed from the mountain because of safety concerns due to problems accessing the mountain above the checkpoint on the Mauna Kea access road. The concern is that people could be trapped on the mountain and in e.g., a case of a medical emergency, this is simply too much of a risk to take.

---

Yes. Exactly. Another post got stuck in between and it wasn’t clear. My bad.

But my point is yours.

Cheers,
Kirt

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

"For nearly half a century, the state of Hawaii and the University of Hawaii have failed their legal responsibility to properly manage Mauna Kea.

Here’s the generic version, good for every eventuality:
“For nearly half a century, the ________ in Hawaii has failed their legal responsibility to properly manage _________.”

glinda,
Let’s accept the state and UH have not properly managed Mauna Kea. Who would you suggest (with trained staff, resources, and funding) is capable of doing a better job?

[TomK]

Thanks for clarifying, Kirt. In addition, with no observatory staff on the mountain, it is one less safety aspect law enforcement have to be concerned about, so this makes things a little less complicated for them.

[glinda]

Hey HOTPE, I was just helping Jim see the error of his assumptions. Not that I have any idea who would do better.

I would say, as representatives of the state’s interest, it is DLNR kuleana, but nah, they don’t have a track record that would give anyone confidence that they could. But that’s within the state hierarchy. And, as agents of the Hawaiians certainly OHA or DHHL need to mature a bit before anyone would consider them to be able to manage anything that critical impartially.

It’s an interesting question, and oddly enough the only agency I can imagine is capable would be the NPS. All told I think their management of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is exemplary when compared to other land management programs throughout Hawaii. Not only do they have good land management practices they have policing and a strong focus on the cultural and archeological aspects of the land. As well as managing thousands of visitors. But they're the feds, and have a checkered history with the Hawaiian culture. But all told I think they are far better equipped than anyone in the state. And besides, they’re neutral. They don’t have a dog in that fight so might be amenable to all the stake holders.

[TomK]

I would suggest the management of Mauna Kea deserves its own thread. It's a separate enough issue to warrant that and is just confusing the issues being discussed in this thread which is about the start of TMT construction.

[SBH]

Hawaii: A State of Confusion.