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"
Anyone else notice how the news coverage mentions that TMT would now like to break ground by "April 2018"?
Previous reports stated "need permits by September 2016 to start construction in the spring"."
This is the latest I know (I posted the link previously):
http://optics.org/news/7/6/47
"
A decision on the site of the planned Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), whose licence for construction in Hawaii was revoked in December last year, will be made in early 2017."
"
Li also said that the TMT board was meeting each month and attempting to make progress in Hawaii, but added: “The goal is to make a decision [on the TMT site] by early 2017.”"
"the latest" seems pretty much a CNBC write up.
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"I am in favor of TMT but not on Mauna Kea, for science sake. Mount Fuji looks like a good alternative site, almost 13,000 feet, very low light pollution, above the clouds most of the year. That would be awesome to see the TMT on the flat cone of Mount Fuji."
Little to no infrastructure, difficult access, temperatures rarely above freezing and mostly below zero degrees Fahrenheit in the winter months with plenty of snow during those months, and high humidity most of the time. To cap it all, Mt Fuji is an active volcano.
A perfect place to build a massive optical/infrared telescope. Sigh.
No tags as to author of quote and extremely vague supporting lines ... Should we assume these are YOUR message TomK ?
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quote:
Originally posted by airportparking
No tags as to author of quote and extremely vague supporting lines ... Should we assume these are YOUR message TomK ?
If you read the thread that is
pahoated being quoted as wanting a telescope on Mt. Fuji. And it's so wrong it's comical. Not to mention Mt. Fuji is an active volcano that is over due for a major eruption. (edit: oops, I guess TOMK did mention that...haha)
quote:
Mount Fuji Is In A 'Critical State' And Could Be Ready To Blow, Researchers Say. After 307 years, the massive active volcano in Japan may be due for another eruption as a result of a buildup of pressure from the 9.0-magnitude earthquake that hit the country's eastern coast in 2011.
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In other news, the case hearing got underway on Friday. According to
http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/loc...mt-motions
We see a wild list of accusations and drama. Here's a sample:
- Mehana Kihoi, who protested against TMT on the mountain last year, discussed a motion to remove PUEO from the contested case. She said their interests are already covered by TMT and the University of Hawaii at Hilo, the permit applicant, and that they can’t prove an injury.
- He [Richard Wurdeman, attorney for the original six contested case petitioners] argues TMT’s application is flawed because the 2010 document is signed by TMT Observatory Corp., not TMT International Observatory, which is the observatory’s new entity.
- “We come to you to seek justice,” said Stephanie Tabbada. She added that “genocide” and “war crimes” were being committed against Native Hawaiians.
- “The burden of proof is on the applicant to provide proof Mauna Kea is in the state of Hawaii,” said Maelani Lee.
- Several argued the annexation of Hawaii by the United States was illegal and that the Hawaiian Kingdom still exists. ...But Amano said those are political questions that she can’t address during this process. Sometimes, that point had to be repeated.
- With many of the parties representing themselves, the hearing at times was bogged down with confusion about the process to file and respond to motions.
The case continues on Aug 12 to go through the filings because Wurdeman didn't get officially served some of the state's documentation.
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My brother, who worked at IRTF for years, is quick to point out that there is a history at least early on of heavy handedness on the part of UH WRT management of the summit. However the current shenanigans on the part of the protesters are beyond the pale and amount to ambulance chasing, for what real purpose I don't even get. It seems unthinkable that the state would 1) Let this golden opportunity slip through our fingers and 2) Let this farce be validated in a court of law. OTOH there is a certain karmic rightness about various parties suffering the logical consequences of their illogical behavior. Unfortunately as long as Hawaii remains a state most of the protesters will never feel the true consequences of their foolishness.
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quote:
Originally posted by MarkP
My brother, who worked at IRTF for years, is quick to point out that there is a history at least early on of heavy handedness on the part of UH WRT management of the summit. ....Unfortunately as long as Hawaii remains a state most of the protesters will never feel the true consequences of their foolishness.
Heavy handed as in genocide or as in no EIS/CIS? The most common complaint I've heard is blocking access for plant gathering and sometimes hunting but Amano is actually the judge that gave Native Hawaiian's right of access with PASH in 1994, which was a huge win for Native rights. So you think the protesters would be ok with Amano on the case.
At the same time a lot of the foolishness that might sound good to people inside their own anti-US bubble seems to not play well with the judge including the huge witness list:
“If they are repetitious or irrelevant witnesses, they will not be allowed to testify,” she said.
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Apparently if you go back far enough the observatories wanted no unauthorized access by the public. I can see why they would want that but also why that didn't fly.
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Using TMT as a carrot ... when astronomy as a job is going obsolete isn't too convincing.
Assuming the future will all be about space-based telescopes, how about we build a launch facility?
Seriously, I want to see the planning process begin, so that some Protectors can appeal the decision on the basis that construction at the chosen location would desecrate the land. I believe their criteria for "sacred" is "anywhere that attracts enough money", it would be great to have some additional data to support this theory.
