Posted on: Wednesday, February 12, 2003

EDITORIAL
Mauna Kea should hold space for all

Some critics of the astronomy center atop Mauna Kea on the Big Island would prefer to see the entire project go away.

They cite the historic, cultural, environmental and religious qualities of the mountain, which they contend are incompatible with an industrial scientific facility.

Our position is that there is room for both science and culture, for space exploration and environmental protection on Mauna Kea. The key is sensitivity on the part of the scientific community and cooperation on the part of the environmentalists and Hawaiian cultural practitioners.

The issue is red hot again this week because of a contested case hearing to decide whether a conservation use permit should be issued for six new telescopes on Mauna Kea. Actually, the proposal is not for six new individual telescopes, but rather for six antennas that would be linked to the existing Keck telescope.

The University of Hawai'i, which is pursuing this project on the basis of a contract with NASA, the space agency, says the only issue should be the impact of this specific project. That's a rather narrow approach.

Opponents are calling for a full-scale environmental impact statement on the overall effect of years of scientific development at the summit.

They have a point.

Sometimes, a demand for an environmental impact statement can be used as a tool to delay or stop a project rather than truly understand its effects. We hope that is not the case here. Our important effort to build and maintain a world-class astronomy center at Mauna Kea should not rise or fall on legalistic gamesmanship.

But it may be time to do a more long-range study of the environmental, cultural and social impact of the astronomy complex at Mauna Kea. The goal of such a study would be to mitigate impacts and find ways to accommodate a variety of uses at the summit, from scientific to cultural, to environmental and even recreational.

There should be room on the summit for all. Hawai'i has developed a worldwide reputation for astronomy — a reputation which must not be tossed aside. But as our astronomy efforts proceed ahead, it must be clear that this mountain is not for the scientists alone.