Group opposes plans for Mauna Kea access

By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

HILO, Hawai'i — The Sierra Club is calling on Big Island residents to resist plans to limit access to the summit of Mauna Kea.

Nelson Ho, leader of the conservation group's Hawai'i Chapter, said a survey being distributed by the University of Hawai'i-Hilo's Office of Mauna Kea Management suggests restrictions on public access are necessary to prevent damage to the mountaintop environment and to protect Mauna Kea's importance as a sacred place among Native Hawaiians.

But the real issue, he said, is the environmental and cultural damage caused by astronomy interests, and the "industrialization and commercialization of the summit — not island residents driving up with their families."

Ho said 75 percent of the traffic on the mountain is connected to construction activity or observatory operations. The number of commercial tour vans visiting the summit also has increased dramatically, he said.

There are 13 working telescopes near the Mauna Kea summit, which rises 13,796 feet above sea level. The observatories are within the Mauna Kea Science Reserve leased by the state to the University of Hawai'i.

In June 2000, the UH Board of Regents adopted the Mauna Kea Science Reserve Master Plan, establishing management guidelines for the next 20 years.

Management of the summit area is now the responsibility of the Office of Mauna Kea Management in Hilo. Among the concerns to be addressed are respect for Hawaiian cultural beliefs, protection of environmentally sensitive habitat, recreational use of the mountain, as well as astronomy research.

According to a UHH news release, the survey will be used to develop rules and regulations governing the management of areas on Mauna Kea under UH control, including the Mauna Kea Science Reserve, the summit road and Hale Pohaku facilities.

The survey contains 12 questions covering protection of resources, vehicle access and recreational activities. Completed surveys must be received by Oct. 21 to be ensured full consideration.

"(The Office of Mauna Kea Management) will seek further public input as it develops drafts of its administrative rules and regulations," Director Bill Stormont said. "This is but the first opportunity to gather public opinion on some very key issues."

For a copy of the survey, fax name and mailing address to (808) 933-3208; or e-mail omkm@maunakea.hawaii.edu. A survey form will be mailed upon request.