Giant telescope project still faces ‘fight’ from Hawaiian opponents

HONOLULU, Sept 30, (AP): One of Hawaii’s most divisive issues is centered on a largely barren, wintry mountain — its peak the highest point in the state — accessible via vehicles with four-wheel drive that can navigate a steep gravel road with sharp switchbacks. Breathing can be difficult up there at an elevation of nearly 14,000 feet (4,267 meters).

The $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope project on Thursday won key state approval to join other telescopes atop the dormant volcano, but passionate protesters vowed to continue fighting construction on land that’s sacred to Native Hawaiians.

Their willingness to endure frigid nights camped on the mountain and to be arrested proved successful in blocking construction in the past.

“For the Hawaiian people, I have a message: This is our time to rise as a people,” said Kahookahi Kanuha, a protest leader. “This is our time to take back all of the things that we know are ours. All the things that were illegally taken from us.”

Scientists, even those who are Native Hawaiian, revere the mountain for its summit above the clouds that provides a clear view of the sky with very little air and light pollution.

The telescope will allow astronomers to reach back 13 billion years to answer fundamental questions about the advent of the universe, touts a website for the project: “In the nearby universe, with TMT, astronomers will be able to discover and characterize, in detail, planets orbiting stars other than the Sun. There is the potential to examine these planets for signs of life beyond the Earth: this would be one of the most important discoveries of all time.”

Telescope project officials don’t have any immediate construction plans and will look at what the next steps will be, said spokesman Scott Ishikawa. They’ve said previously they want to resume construction in 2018.

“In moving forward, we will listen respectfully to the community in order to realize the shared vision of Maunakea as a world center for Hawaiian culture, education and science,” TMT International Observatory Board Chairman Henry Yang said in a statement.

Richard Ha, a Native Hawaiian farmer who supports the project, urged opponents to avoid confrontation. “The possibility of getting the best telescope in the world ... I don’t feel is the right battle to fight,” he said. “It will hurt our own people.”

While opponents say constructing the telescope will desecrate Mauna Kea, supporters tout the instrument’s ability to provide long-term educational and economic opportunities.