 The summit of Mauna Kea is a wahi pana (sacred place). Oblivious to the negative impacts of bulldozing this wahi pana, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the University of Hawai‘i continue to build giant telescopes on the summit of Mauna Kea. More than 30 years of destruction in the name of science has devastated this fragile ecosystem, pushed rare species to extinction, and alienated Native Hawaiians from their own home land.  Defending the Sacred Summit of Mauna Kea -- Spring 2010  Mauna Kea is a sacred mountain and a unique desert alpine habitat for endangered Hawaiian plants and animals. Mauna Kea is protected by law as a conservation district and a Natural Area Reserve. These are public trust lands--Hawaiian lands--held by the state in trust for the people of Hawaii.Yet, today Mauna Kea’s public lands are being exploited by foreign nations, corporations, and the University of Hawaii, who are all seeking to profit from telescope construction on the summit at the expense of its unique natural habitat, pure drinking water, and sacred cultural resources. Dozens of telescope and support structures already cover the sacred summit--built without the consent of Native Hawaiians and local communities. Now, two more telescopes (and accompanying roads, parking lots, and office buildings) are proposed for the sacred summit. One of them -- the Thirty Meter Telescope -- is slated for construction on the summit's last pristine plateau. It is larger than all the current telescopes on the summit combined. A Better Future is Possible We know a better future is possible for Mauna Kea. For over 10 years, community members have advocated for a true conservation plan, independent oversight, fair representation and fair compensation. Now is the opportunity to make that better future a reality. The Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources is considering a management plan written by the primary developer of the summit that does not provide for these basic needs, and instead allows for unlimited telescope construction and denies public access to the summit. What's more, the state is shutting the people out of the process by denying Native Hawaiians and conservation groups their right to administrative review of the developer's plan. Your testimony in support of a better conservation plan, fair compensation for the past use of the summit, and independent management of this one of a kind ecosystem will help to ensure this failed process does not continue. Take action today, click here. Update: Defend the Sacred Summits of Mauna Kea and Haleakala  Just as we predicted, the University is using its new found control over Mauna Kea to usher in a new age of development on our sacred summits. Mere days after the University's substandard plan for managing Mauna Kea was conditionally approved by the state, proponents of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) released their draft Environmental Impact Statement. They propose to destroy unique habitat and cultural sites on Mauna Kea by building the largest telescope in the world... without assessing whether an alternate site in Chile would cause less cultural and environmental harm. At the same time, the University and the National Science Foundation are proposing to build a 14-story, 100-acre telescope on the sacred summit of Haleakala. This Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) proposes to destroy critical viewplanes and irreparably undermine cultural practice on the sacred summit of Haleakala, in order to collect data about weather in space... without even considering whether building the same telescope in California or Spain would have less environmental and cultural impacts. Science should not be used to justify cultural genocide. It is possible for astronomers to meet the needs of their scientific inquiries without destroying the pillars of the Native Hawaiian culture. We must unite to save our sacred summits and hold astronomy to the same high standards of humanity. Take Action Now! 1) Protect Haleakala -- the House of the Sun -- from another, unnecessary solar telescope Public comments due by June 22, 2009. 2) Defend the Sacred Summit of Mauna Kea from the World's Largest Telescope Public comments due by July 7, 2009. |
KAHEA is an alliance of Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) cultural practitioners, environmental activists and others concerned with protecting customary and traditional rights and our fragile environment.
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