TMT groundbreaking - live

[PunaMauka2]

"I'm doing some fact-checking as the media like to call it these days. Should find out if this disgusting behaviour is really going on and will let everyone know."


that input would be a helpful addition. concerned for those workers.

[PaulW]

Thanks Mike, Richard Ha is always worth a read.

[ironyak]

Originally posted by TomK

In recent years the rules and regulations for the observatories have become quite strict. Vehicle and site inspections (staff can actually be banned from the summit if they drive a vehicle that might carry an invasive species, e.g., dirt in a wheel well)
...
Right now there is far more traffic to the mountain from visitors compared to the observatories, but we and MKSS are the ones who clear up the mess.

Tom - Do you know if the these vehicle inspections are conducted for visitor and tour vehicles as well? The 2014 audit focuses on the lack of rules including illegal permits for tour operators and overall lack of enforcement and assessing fines by both UH and DLNR.

In order to minimize the need for clean up, do you know if the rangers can issue tickets?

[ericlp]

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2015/0...rting-tmt/


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[TomK]

I checked with MKSS. A couple of weeks ago feces were smeared on the restroom walls at the VIS, but it seems this is the only occurrence of such disgusting behaviour. Also, there were cases of intimidation towards MKSS and observatory staff but these have now mostly stopped after discussions between the protestors and observatory and MKSS staff.

Iron,

"Tom - Do you know if the these vehicle inspections are conducted for visitor and tour vehicles as well? The 2014 audit focuses on the lack of rules including illegal permits for tour operators and overall lack of enforcement and assessing fines by both UH and DLNR."

Re-read my post. I mentioned that these regulations only apply to observatory staff. The observatories are easy to target for this stuff, but it is much harder to come up with plans and procedures to inspect every vehicle heading to the summit, which is likely the reason these inspections only apply to the observatories at this point.

"In order to minimize the need for clean up, do you know if the rangers can issue tickets?"

I don't believe the rangers can issue tickets to the public, but they can ban observatory staff from the summit if they don't follow the rules.

[ironyak]

There is a fair amount of discussion in the audit about the enforcement authory granted to properly manage Mauna Kea and where that authority is vested. i just wanted to check what the current reality is on the ground - thanks for the clarification.

http://files.hawaii.gov/auditor/Reports/2014/14-07.pdf
"...
The University of Hawai‘i has not adopted administrative rules despite obtaining rulemaking authority in 2009. As a result, UH lacks enforcement authority necessary to protect Mauna Kea’s resources from public and commercial activities and ensure the public’s health and safety. In the absence of rules, UH has also relied on unauthorized permits and informal agreements to manage and assess fees on commercial activities.
..."

[snorkle]

edit tom;
"Right now there is far more abandoned, obsolete, technology on the mountain from the observatories compared to the visitors, but protectors and ???? are the ones who clear up the mess."

[Peter Epperson]

I'm wondering what the results would be if indeed all of the telescopes are removed as Occupy Hawaii states as their goal. The road to the summit needs constant repair. Will there no longer be a road to the summit if there are no observatories to foot the bill? Will people be allowed to hike to the summit? Will we need to get permission from Occupy Hawaii? Will the kapu system be reinstated?

[lavalava]

NPR brief on our “natives”. http://www.npr.org/2015/04/21/400390724/...atives-ire

[PunaMauka2]

"I checked with MKSS. A couple of weeks ago feces were smeared on the restroom walls at the VIS, but it seems this is the only occurrence of such disgusting behaviour. Also, there were cases of intimidation towards MKSS and observatory staff but these have now mostly stopped after discussions between the protestors and observatory and MKSS staff."

encouraging to hear, relatively speaking.