KAHEA - The Hawaiian Environmental Alliance

Uphold the Laws Protecting Mauna Kea - Support Resolution 231!

Big mahalo to Representative Faye Hanohano for introducing House Concurrent Resolution 231, which directs both the State Land Board and the University of Hawaii to follow the laws that currently protect the conservation district on the sacred summit of Mauna Kea. These are the same laws that Mauna Kea Anaina Hou, Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter, Royal Order of Kamehameha I, and Ku Ching used to win their court case against the State Land Board and the University for their failure to protect the unique natural and cultural resources of the summit.

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.

Unfortunately, instead of just following the laws that currently protect Mauna Kea, the University has introduced a bill seeking broad authority to enforce limitations on cultural and religious ceremony on the summit, restrict public access, and skirt public oversight of University activities. At the same time, the University is pushing a new management plan for the summit that does nothing to regulate the biggest threat to the summit: telescope construction.

We are asking the Legislature to not support the University's latest scam by opposing House Bill 1174 and instead passing House Concurrent Resolution 231. And we are asking the State Land Board to not adopt the University's plan without drastic changes, including limitations on telescope construction, plans for decommissioning obsolete telescopes, and clear action plans for protecting and restoring the public trust resources that have been harmed by 40 years of telescope activity.

You can support the effort to uphold Hawaii's conservation laws by submitting this testimony in support of House Concurrent Resolution 231. Please try to take a few minutes to personalize these talking points below.

Mahalo for contributing to the effort to protect the sacred summit of Mauna Kea!

November 21, 2009

Subject:

Aloha Chairman Ito and Vice-Chairwoman Har,

I am writing to urge you to hold a hearing for House Concurrent Resolution 231 because it seeks to uphold and enforce the laws that currently protect the conservation district on the sacred summit of Mauna Kea. HCR 231 directs the State Land Board and the University of Hawaii to abide by the laws that would protect Mauna Kea, if only they were followed. This includes: - directing the Land Board to prepare and approve a comprehensive management plan consistent with the terms of the 2007, - directing the Land Board and the University to maintain an open dialog with the community committed to protecting the sacred summit, and - renegotiating the subleases with foreign telescope owners to ensure that fair rent is paid for use of state lands. This concurrent resolution is a step in the right direction for improving management of Mauna Kea. Please support it over H.B. 1174, which would undermine Mauna Kea's best interests by giving management authority to the University -- an entity with a poor track record on the summit and absolutely no expertise in managing the extremely fragile and sacred public trust resources on the summit. Mahalo!
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Want to do more to protect Mauna Kea?

Click here to take direct action against the University's latest development plan for the conservation district on the sacred summit of Mauna Kea.

Attend the Land Board hearing on the University's new development plan for Mauna Kea:

LAND BOARD HEARING

April 8-9, 2009
9:00 am
Hilo Hawaiian Hotel
71 Banyan Drive, Hilo, 96720