There were, no doubt, tremendous sighs of relief and excited anticipation among astronomers and educators worldwide, when the Hawaii Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way to build the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) on Mauna Kea.
There also was disappointment and consternation among some Native Hawaiians and others who object to building another massive structure on what they see as sacred land. In the wake of the court’s ruling, the “protectors” have vowed to continue to resist: perhaps through an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, or by returning to Mauna Kea as they did in 2015, staging nonviolent demonstrations and other acts of resistance, leading to highly publicized arrests.
That would be unfortunate. TMT offers an unparalleled opportunity for scientists and students in Hawaii to benefit from the leading edge of astronomy in our own back yard.
TMT’s primary mirror — 30 meters in diameter, hence the name — would provide images 12 times sharper than those from the Hubble Space Telescope, according to TMT International Observatory. It would have an ability unmatched by today’s telescopes to peer deeper into space to study the formation of stars and galaxies, and find clues to origins of the universe.
And the protectors should recognize that not all is lost: Their contributions have helped advance reforms aimed at correcting years of mismanagement and indifference to the legitimate concerns of members of the Native Hawaiian community.
In granting a construction permit for TMT in September 2017 — the permit affirmed by the court on Tuesday — the state Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) included 43 special conditions to improve overall management of the summit, including plans to reduce the number of telescopes there. The University of Hawaii intends to decommission three telescopes by the time TMT becomes operational: The Caltech Submillimeter Observatory, Hoku Ke‘a and the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope.
As for the TMT itself, the giant telescope would be the last new site developed on Mauna Kea; any future development would occur only on existing sites.
Furthermore, the conditions would “ensure that the project lives up to its environmental commitments, that the educational fund will help the underserved members of the community, that TMT will train and hire local workers, and that the native Hawaiian cultural presence at Hale Pohaku (the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy) will be enhanced.”
BLNR said TMT will contribute $1 million a year toward education, as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars for conservation on Mauna Kea.
That’s all to the good. But there is more healing to be done. Years of history have given Native Hawaiians good reason to be skeptical of future promises. There will need to be continuing outreach and commitments from the Ige administration, UH and the Legislature to preserve and enhance Hawaiian cultural practices on Mauna Kea, before, during and after TMT construction. All interested stakeholders should participate in good-faith negotiations, and peaceful demonstrations within the law should be expected and tolerated.
What cannot be allowed are illegal disruptions or blockades of the construction site. At a news conference Tuesday, Gov. David Ige said, “I am committed to assuring that the rights of the project and the permittee to proceed with the project is enforceable, so whatever that means.” We hope that means the governor will stand firmly with TMT, but without having to resort to calling out the National Guard.
TMT’s developers say that Mauna Kea’s high, cold, clear environment is the best place to put this highly advanced $1.4 billion telescope. The alternative site in the Canary Islands, while perhaps less expensive, is warmer and at a lower altitude, which would reduce the telescope’s capabilities.
Mauna Kea observatories already have revealed a trove of knowledge about worlds beyond our own: black holes, supernovae, planets orbiting other stars. Let the exploration continue.
