HILO — Thirty Meter Telescope supporters and opponents attended a “community connection” Tuesday evening at University of Hawaii at Hilo to question Gov. David Ige about his positions on the controversial project and Mauna Kea.
But it was a much smaller telescope — UH-Hilo’s Hoku Kea — that was on the mind of Niki Thomas.
“It’s the future … for kids,” the astrophysicist student exclaimed as Ige responded to her question about plans to remove the tiny observatory from the mountain.
UH selected the broken teaching telescope, housed in an 18-foot-wide dome, as one of three to be removed from the mountain in response to Ige’s request that 25 percent of existing observatories be decommissioned before TMT is operational.
Ige said he thought there was too much activity at the summit of the mountain, which some Native Hawaiians consider sacred.
“I do think it’s about finding a balance,” he said.
Ige made the request for a reduction in telescopes last year as part of his 10-point plan for Mauna Kea following protests that brought construction of the 180-foot-tall observatory to a halt. Since then, the project’s land use permit has been remanded to the state Board of Land and Natural Resources and another contested case is being held, leaving the $1.4 billion project’s future uncertain.
Hoku Kea, which UH planned to replace at the time of the decommissioning decision, also remains in limbo.
UH has moved ahead with replacing the telescope, possibly installing it on campus as a teaching tool until a better location is found.
Meanwhile, Office of Mauna Kea Management Board of Directors put accepting decommissioning on hold after hearing from Native Hawaiians in support of keeping the telescope on the mountain.
Pierre Martin, Hoku Kea director, said a new 28-inch telescope could be delivered in a few weeks. He said the university is still reviewing potential sites off the mountain to place the telescope and a new dome.
“Until we hear more from (OMKM), this is where we stand,” he said.
Thomas and a few other students spoke with Ige briefly after the meeting.
“I think he got it,” Thomas said, though she wasn’t sure if Ige would make any changes.
Ige was unavailable for comment after the meeting, as well as on Wednesday.
In responding to questions about TMT, he said at the community meeting that he felt like he arrived in the “middle of the movie.” He was elected in 2014 following the project’s initial review.
Ige also said he had no intention of calling out the National Guard during protests and is considering ways to make the review process for similar projects more centered around dialogue.
“I don’t know how many times I’ve been accused of being on the verge of calling out the National Guard,” he said, “when there really was no instance or information that I would do so.
“I don’t know where this misinformation starts.”
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.