This is an email that I sent to Mark Glick, President of the Hawaii Sierra Club.

Aloha Mark:

It saddens me to write this note to you. I am a member of the Sierra Club. But I very much disagree with the stance that the Sierra Club has taken with regard to Mauna Kea.

There are many, many dedicated volunteers in the Moku Loa group and I enjoy participating in conservation committee meetings. But, If the Sierra Club sues, I will regretfully have to terminate my membership.

I am native Hawaiian and the overwhelming number of native Hawaiians are in favor of the Comprehensive Management Plan and the development of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea. We feel that it is appropriate that the best telescope in the world be built on the most sacred mountain in the world, in honor of our proud history of astronomy and navigation. I feel that the Sierra Club has no regard for what the vast majority of  the Hawaiian people feel.

When the Thirty Meter Telescope corporation first announced that they were interested in coming to Hawaii, I volunteered to be on the TMT committee of the Hawaii Economic Development Board. I was disappointed and angry about how astronomy had been done on the mountain.  And I was determined that if it was to be done, I wanted a hand in making sure that it be done right.

Previous to this I had been just a banana farmer. But when one talks about Mauna Kea, one needs to talk about the culture. And then, one gravitates to Keaukaha, the oldest Hawaiian Homes community of the Big Island. There I discovered that although there were hundreds of millions of dollars of telescopes on the mountain, there were no visible benefit to the Hawaiian community. This community has a much lower average income than Hilo proper.
One day, I asked Kumu Lehua Veincent, the principal of Keaukaha Elementary School: Where do the kids go on excursion? He said, We do not have enough money to rent buses, so we organize walking excursions around the neighborhood. How could this be? I thought that all kids went on excursion.

A friend of mine and I decided that we could not just talk, we needed to do something and so we started the adopt-a-class project. We figured that $300 would be enough to rent a bus and $300 would pay for entry fees to Imiloa the Astronomy and Hawaiian culture museum. So, we went around and asked if individuals or groups would be interested in adopting a class so they could go on excursion. In four months all the classes were adopted for both semesters.

Soon after, the Moore Foundation, using the adopt-a-class project as a template, funded all the students on the Big Island for an excursion to Imiloa.

You may know that Hawaiians occupy the lowest rungs of the economic ladder. And that the best predictor of family income is level of education. The TMT committed to fund $1 million annually to a keiki education fund as soon as permits are issued. We have an opportunity of elevating our Hawaiian childrens’ education level and to move them up in our society.

The Sierra Club fighting against this project, when we and so many others fought so hard to make the CMP pono, is so disappointing as to be beyond words. Your stance is anti-Hawaiian.

What is your justification for doing this? What does the national chapter think?  How can you even contemplate it?

Aloha,
Richard Ha

On Wednesday, the Mauna Kea Management Board (MKMB) met to discuss whether or not to approve the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project on Mauna Kea. I was first to testify. This is what I said:

I recall meeting Henry Yang [TMT Board Chairman and Chancellor of UC Santa Barbara] for the first time in UH-Hilo Chancellor Rose Tseng’s office, when he was in town to find out if siting the Thirty Meter Telescope in Hawai‘i was even possible. At that time, it was a foregone conclusion that the telescope project was going to Chile.

I told him the most important thing to do in order to turn things around was to go talk story with the people. His face lit up, and he told me that was exactly what he wanted to do, because it was about talking to people and building relationships and trust.

In a short time, I could tell that this was a person you could do business with on a handshake. I knew that with Henry, we would not have to watch our backs. I even called my brother Kenneth to tell him that I thought things had changed.

Henry came to Hilo about 15 times, along with Jean Lou Chameau, president of Cal Tech. He did not come here seeking publicity; hardly anyone ever knew they were here. He visited with the regular folk.

He even visited Keaukaha Elementary School four times. The last time was when they had a free hour on Kupuna Day. We went over, sat on a bench and listened to kupuna giving advice to sixth graders.

After the program was pau, people asked them, “Where you guys going? Come, come; go eat.” People had made plates of laulau, poi, lomi salmon and haupia. Henry and Jean Lou dug in to eat and talked story with the folk. I could see that in the people’s eyes, they had become just Henry and Jean Lou.

In their trips talking to the regular folks, Henry and Jean Lou discovered that the lowest common denominator, which people on all sides of the issue could agree upon, was keiki education. As Kumu Lehua (principal of Keaukaha Elementary) says, “Not for only the best; what about the rest?”

The TMT folks committed to an annual million dollar education fund for the keiki. Funding would start as soon as all permits were obtained, and it would last through the construction and the life of the project—more than $50 million in all. This proved to us all that they heard the people.

As we went around visiting people, Patrick Kahawaiola‘a, president of the Keaukaha Community Association, told me that it’s about “the process.” And since the process would result in the best possible result, we need to aloha everyone who participates in the process, no matter which side of the issue they are on. Therefore, we must mahalo Kealoha, Nelson, Debbie, Paul, Ku, Hanalei, the Kanaka Council, Jim, Cory, Moani and many others. We would not be here today had it not been for their passionate advocacy.

The whole state has noticed that we on the Big Island are doing this differently. Our approach is based on mutual respect, collaboration
and trust. The TMT folks, led by Henry Yang, did it the right way. It
would not have worked any other way.

I have much aloha for Henry. My Pop used to tell me when I was a small kid – “Get thousand reasons why no can; I only looking for the one reason why can.”

The MKMB voted unanimously to approve construction of the TMT on Mauna Kea. I am convinced that the countless volunteers did the best they could to make sure that this project is pono.

On Thursday, there will be a Board of Land and Natural Resources hearing at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Leading up to this hearing, there have been many claims and counterclaims about different aspects of the care of Maunakea. Here is a statement that corrects some recent misstatements:

No Danger to Maunakea Aquifer

Comprehensive research confirms that the observatories on Maunakea pose no danger to the aquifer and drinking water on the Big Island.

The statement suggesting otherwise is misleading because it incorrectly assumes that the summit is a significant contributor to the water supply.

Because the conservation district on Maunakea encompasses both the high elevations (8,000 to 14,000 feet) and lower elevations (5,000 to 2,000 feet) it is true that the conservation lands encompass critical watershed and forestry lands.  However, the critical watershed and forestry lands are those lands in the lower elevation band.  Above 8,000 feet there is little rainfall (less than 30 inches/year), little forest, and little groundwater recharge.  The bulk of groundwater is generated by the higher rainfall (60 to 200 inches/year) in the lower elevation band of conservation land.

Maps that depict the limits of groundwater aquifers show all the aquifers extending to the summit of Maunakea. This gives the false impression that the summit of Maunakea is the headwaters for these aquifers when in fact the land above 8,000 feet contributes little to the aquifer compared to the land at lower elevations.  Furthermore, none of the developments above 8,000 feet eliminate or inhibit groundwater recharge in anyway.

Another concern based on misinformation is the potential for pollution of the aquifer. Studies carried out to evaluate potential pollutants related to septic tanks in the summit region have demonstrated that wastewater discharged via septic tanks in the summit region have not and will not impact water quality at drinking water wells down gradient.  In addition, a proposed new observatory, the Thirty Meter Telescope, is being designed as a zero waste discharge facility, with all waste securely transported off the summit. Ensuring it will not impact the quality of the island’s drinking water.

UH Does Not Have Resources to Build Telescopes and Needs Scientific Partnerships

The underlying implication of the sublease statements is that the State is “giving away” a valuable public trust resource without getting anything in return. To appreciate why this is not the case, one first needs to understand the basic philosophy behind the development; the essential role played by the IfA; and the educational, scientific and economic benefits that accrue to the State of Hawaii from astronomy.

It is logical to think that UH should build powerful observatories on its own, as the universities in California, Texas, Arizona, and on the East Coast have done.  Unfortunately, UH is a medium-sized state university with a very limited budget, and Hawaii is a small state with limited resources.  Thus, a different concept was developed— the concept of scientific partnerships.

Within this concept the national and international partners contribute the capital funding for the facility, carry most or all of the operational costs, and contribute to the infrastructure development.  The University, through the IfA, provides the leadership and know-how to operate an observatory at extreme altitude, the management of the physical and operational infrastructure (roads, power, fiber-optics communications, food, and lodging) and ongoing protection from adverse intrusions such as light pollution and radio frequency interference.  The University also provides the land for the observatory site from its lease from the State, along with assistance in planning and permitting.  The University and its partners collaborate in the scientific use of the telescopes, including development of technologically advanced instrumentation.  Most importantly, they share the scientific observing time on the facilities with no cost to the University.

In this way, the University and the State are saved the enormous capital costs of designing and building world-class telescopes, but are still able to provide researchers with access to these unique facilities and give them the opportunity to develop one of the best astronomical research and education programs in the world.

The benefits, both economic and otherwise, are substantial as indicated below.

1.   Astronomy facilities on Maunakea and Haleakala represent a capital investment of close to $1 billion.  The economic benefit of astronomy to the State amounts to $140 million per year.  New projects for Haleakala and Maunakea have the potential to double these numbers.

2.   The observatories and other astronomy-related activities on Maunakea and Haleakala provide 600 quality jobs in a clean high-tech industry on the neighbor islands.  It is important to note that only a small fraction of these jobs are for astronomers.  Most of them are for technical, administrative, and logistic services.  Beyond the simple numbers, there is the fact that astronomy as a high-tech science diversifies the Hawaii economy and gives local young people with scientific and technical talents a wealth of opportunities to realize their potential without having to leave Hawaii to pursue employment elsewhere.  Unlike many high-tech industries, astronomy is fundamentally rooted in Hawaii.  Observatories cannot be relocated to the mainland or overseas.

3.   Astronomy is one of UH’s most successful programs and the IfA has developed into one of the world’s preeminent centers for astronomical research.  Its graduate program is among the best in the world and about 1,000 undergraduate students per year participate in astronomy courses in Manoa.  UH Hilo has also developed a very successful astronomy undergraduate program.

4.   The telescopes on Maunakea comprise the world’s most important observatory complex. It is likely that Hawaii will retain this enviable distinction for the foreseeable future.  Hawaii and its State University are recognized around the world for this outstanding achievement—a source of tremendous prestige for the State.  Approximately 1,500 scientists come to work at the observatories each year, which also helps support Hawaii’s key tourism and vacation industry. Hundreds of others come to Hawaii each year to participate in astronomy-related conferences.  Several small companies make a business of providing quality tours to Maunakea.  The observatories’ base facilities in Hilo, Waimea, and on Maui are major additions to those communities and contribute in many ways.

5.   Over the years, the observatories have made significant monetary contributions to the infrastructure, much of which benefits the general community.  This includes $2 million for road improvements on Maunakea and another $2 million to assist GTE Hawaiian Tel to install a fiber optics cable across the Saddle from Waimea to Hilo.  This cable provides state-of-the-art service for both the Big Island telephone system and the observatories.

6.   The observatories operate the Visitor Information Station at Hale Pohaku, which provides free public star gazing seven nights a week and welcomes about 100,000 visitors each year.

7.   The observatories pay the entire cost of maintenance and snow removal for the road and they pay for emergency services.  The public has year-round use of these roads.  The costs for this service and the Visitor Station amount to $700,000 a year.

Although the economic benefits are substantial, it is important to keep in mind that astronomy research does not generate any revenue for the observatories.  Astronomy is basic science and concentrates on the scientific exploration of the Universe.  Astronomy is probably the first science, is interwoven with Hawaii’s traditional culture, and has changed our understanding of the world and our thinking as humans like no other science.  The telescopes on Maunakea and Haleakala have contributed fundamentally to the advancement of human knowledge.  They have not been built and have never been used to generate any kind of income for the partner institutes or UH.  None of the observatories earn revenue by charging fees for observing time.  In fact most of them are prohibited from doing so either by their terms of incorporation or by their funding.  The telescopes are not private commercial instruments.  They are world-class research facilities, and the best window our planet provides on the strange and wonderful universe we live in.

Payment for “Viewing Nights”

Currently the operating costs for the W. M. Keck Observatory are borne by the University of California (83 percent) and NASA (17 percent). Caltech was responsible for the original costs of building the telescopes and does not pay for operations cost because it secured large grants from the Keck Foundation and NASA to fund the construction of the observatory.

This arrangement comes to an end in 2018. At that point Caltech will need to share in funding to operate the facility (42 percent to retain its current share). For this reason, Caltech sought new partners to raise funds for Keck operations beginning in 2018.  The funds from this agreement will be used solely to operate the W.M. Keck Observatory. These funds will pay salaries for staff on the island of Hawai’i to maintain and operate the telescopes on the summit and the base facility in Waimea.

The only funds received for “observation viewing nights” are those necessary to reimburse the cost of providing agreed services, such as the operation of W.M. Keck Observatory, pay salaries for staff on the island of Hawai’i to maintain and operate the telescopes on the summit and the base facility in Waimea.  In short, the money is used to pay the high fixed operational costs of the observatories.  As such, there are no revenues or profits in the sense of funding that could be used for other purposes.

Regarding the Memorandum of Decision on UH Motion to Dismiss Appeal, filed 12-29-09, Mauna Kea Anaina Hou’s request for a contested case of the then proposed Mauna Kea Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP) was denied. Judge Hara ruled:

“It may be that a future implementation of the CMP might trigger a requirement for a contested case, but the action of the BLNR in accepting and approving the CMP in and of itself does not do so.”

We must aloha the appellants’ efforts on behalf of Mauna Kea. They were on the forefront of protecting Mauna Kea since the early days. If not for them, we may not have this heightened sense of awareness that we all now have.

And because they pointed out that on previous telescope projects there were no benefits coming back to the Big Island, we were able to negotiate a TMT Big Island community benefit package of $3.5 million annually for the 65-year life of the project ($227,500,000 plus).

One million of that will go toward keiki education on the Big Island each year, starting when the permits are obtained. In addition, 7.5 percent of the viewing time will go to the University of Hawai‘i. Dr. McClain intended that the benefits were to be split equitably, so it is fair to say that part of the viewing time benefits will come to the Big Island. The viewing time is estimated to be worth a million dollars for each percentage point, more or less, in inflation-adjusted dollars and is quite a difference from previous arrangements.

A big mahalo to the appellants, and a Happy New Year to all.