To: The Hawaii State House, The Hawaii State Senate, and Governor David Ige
Protect Mauna Kea
The Sacred Lands of Mauna Kea are under threat again - please take action today!
Why is this important?
The State of Hawai'i's Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) is planning to issue the University of Hawai'i (UH) new leases for another 65 years, that's right, BLNR is planning to give Mauna Kea to UH for another 65 years. The new leases would end in the year 2078 - how old will you be in 2078? The current BLNR lease is scheduled to end in the year 2033, but this date is not good enough for UH and the other national and international observatories because they want the power to continue to build newer and bigger telescopes.
Mauna Kea Conservation District Lands are watershed, historic, environmentally and culturally sensitive lands and therefore have special protective status under Hawai‘i law. In fact, any activity that will have adverse impacts on the natural, historic and cultural resources of Mauna Kea are NOT permitted by law and BLNR is tasked with enforcing these laws. The University has already admitted that 45 years of astronomy development has resulted in "adverse, significant, and substantial impacts" to the natural and cultural resources of Mauna Kea. The BLNR needs to stop the University from further telescope develop on Mauna Kea!
In 1998, the State Auditor, found that BLNR and UH’s oversight and protections of the natural and cultural resources of Mauna Kea is inadequate to ensure the protection of natural resources. The University focused primarily on the development of Mauna Kea and tied the benefits gained to its research program. The University neglected historic preservation laws and the cultural value of Mauna Kea was largely unrecognized.
BLNR is the land manager for all conservation district lands and they are required to collect "fair market" lease rents for the use of the Mauna Kea’s public lands. Currently, national and international observatories are only required to pay $1.00 per year to lease Mauna Kea’s public and ceded lands. This is unreasonable and it violates the law.
Lastly, BLNR is not fulfilling its constitutionally mandated duty to protect all rights customarily and traditionally exercised for subsistence, cultural and religious purposes. Let your voice be heard –enough is enough!
We, the undersigned, demand that BLNR take the following actions:
(1) We demand that the BLNR hold public hearings on the Issuance of New Direct Leases to UH for Mauna Kea Conservation District, including Amendments to Easements. Mauna Kea is a vast public resource and therefore is of great public importance. This is this controversial land management decision that the public should be allowed to comment and be heard.
(2) We demand that the BLNR deny the University of Hawaii’s lease renewals for Mauna Kea Conservation District lands.
(3) We demand that the BLNR restrict further development, including but not limited to the Thirty Meter Telescope, within the Mauna Kea Conservation District.
(4) We demand that the BLNR charge the existing observatories fair market lease rent and also that BLNR assess back rent for the use of the Mauna Kea Conservation District lands and that these funds be deposited into the Public Trust Land Fund for public purposes and for the betterment of the conditions of Native Hawaiians as the law under HRS 171 requires.
(5) We demand that all revenues and monies involved with any telescope, scientific operation and/or research derived from the use of the Mauna Kea Conservation District lands be made transparent and that the rightful share of such revenues be given to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
Please take action and sign, Mahalo for your support.
Mauna Kea Conservation District Lands are watershed, historic, environmentally and culturally sensitive lands and therefore have special protective status under Hawai‘i law. In fact, any activity that will have adverse impacts on the natural, historic and cultural resources of Mauna Kea are NOT permitted by law and BLNR is tasked with enforcing these laws. The University has already admitted that 45 years of astronomy development has resulted in "adverse, significant, and substantial impacts" to the natural and cultural resources of Mauna Kea. The BLNR needs to stop the University from further telescope develop on Mauna Kea!
In 1998, the State Auditor, found that BLNR and UH’s oversight and protections of the natural and cultural resources of Mauna Kea is inadequate to ensure the protection of natural resources. The University focused primarily on the development of Mauna Kea and tied the benefits gained to its research program. The University neglected historic preservation laws and the cultural value of Mauna Kea was largely unrecognized.
BLNR is the land manager for all conservation district lands and they are required to collect "fair market" lease rents for the use of the Mauna Kea’s public lands. Currently, national and international observatories are only required to pay $1.00 per year to lease Mauna Kea’s public and ceded lands. This is unreasonable and it violates the law.
Lastly, BLNR is not fulfilling its constitutionally mandated duty to protect all rights customarily and traditionally exercised for subsistence, cultural and religious purposes. Let your voice be heard –enough is enough!
We, the undersigned, demand that BLNR take the following actions:
(1) We demand that the BLNR hold public hearings on the Issuance of New Direct Leases to UH for Mauna Kea Conservation District, including Amendments to Easements. Mauna Kea is a vast public resource and therefore is of great public importance. This is this controversial land management decision that the public should be allowed to comment and be heard.
(2) We demand that the BLNR deny the University of Hawaii’s lease renewals for Mauna Kea Conservation District lands.
(3) We demand that the BLNR restrict further development, including but not limited to the Thirty Meter Telescope, within the Mauna Kea Conservation District.
(4) We demand that the BLNR charge the existing observatories fair market lease rent and also that BLNR assess back rent for the use of the Mauna Kea Conservation District lands and that these funds be deposited into the Public Trust Land Fund for public purposes and for the betterment of the conditions of Native Hawaiians as the law under HRS 171 requires.
(5) We demand that all revenues and monies involved with any telescope, scientific operation and/or research derived from the use of the Mauna Kea Conservation District lands be made transparent and that the rightful share of such revenues be given to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
Please take action and sign, Mahalo for your support.