TMT construction begins Monday 15 July

[TomK]

I doubt this decision by the TMT has anything to do with the winter, COVID-19 or protests. In my mind, it's much more likely due to the current Astronomy and Astrophysics US Decadal Survey in which the NSF decides where funds go. This wouldn't have been an issue a year ago but now it is, and much of TMT's money was expected to come from the NFS. Now, because of the delay, this funding is much more uncertain so they cannot commit to starting construction. Thanks to the state's dithering and lack of law enforcement, they may have doomed the entire project, whether it's in Hawaii or La Palma. The NSF may not be willing to fund the project if it goes overseas.