Big Island Video News 11-23-15… “Legally Binding Letter: TMT Will Be Last Mauna Kea Telescope Site” (and a couple reader’s comments)

This, I would surmise, is in part an effort to make “the state” look good, and to appear to be a “good steward ” of the land, and the Mauna. In my view, they are grasping at whatever they can to try to keep the TMT from flying away. However, I also know that ,at this time, many who have “played along” with “The Corporations” are now changing their tune, so I leave open that possibility for those with the state.

Most of you know my own position on this, so I wont add that. But some may wish to read a few of the comments, below the main body of the article.

As is common in these articles about Mauna Kea and the TMT, a huge image of the proposed TMT is placed at the top. I always like to keep Ray Kane’s Poli’ahu on Mauna Kea, out of respect for the Spirit of the Mauna.

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Legally Binding Letter: TMT Will Be Last Mauna Kea Telescope Site

MAUNA KEA, Hawaii – The University of Hawaii is confirming that the planned location for the Thirty Meter Telescope on the Northern Plateau of the Mauna Kea summit will be the “last new area on the mountain where a telescope project will be contemplated or sought.”

The statement was made by University of Hawaii President David Lassner in a letter to Department of Land and Natural Resources chair Suzanne Case dated November 17, 2015. Lassner wrote that the letter “shall constitute a legally binding commitment and may be regarded as a condition of the University of Hawaii’s current lease(s) and of any lease renewal or extension proposed by the University.”

The university issued a statement about the letter on Monday, saying the commitment “fulfills the second point of Governor David Ige’s 10-point ‘Way Forward’ plan that addresses future management and stewardship of Maunakea. UH has also fulfilled the third point of the plan, officially identifying three telescopes that will be decommissioned and permanently removed before TMT begins operations.” The letter also states no new observatories will be constructed on those sites.

Both sides of the TMT controversy are currently awaiting a ruling by the Hawaii Supreme Court on an appeal of the TMT’s Conservation District Use Permit, granted by the state of Hawaii, allowing it to build on the mountain’s sensitive summit area.

Selected Reader’s Comments (names omitted)

Power play is so uncalled for… Jumping the gun is just that, jumping the gun… Mauna Kea is sacred and no matter how you try to twist your way around this fact you will never understand how deep, unconditional love that we all have for Mauna Kea…. Nothing man made belongs on Mauna Kea….

If we had a nickle for every time we heard “this will be the last” weʻd all have a couple of bucks. What a lame excuse!

You have heard our Lahui of Aloha Aina Protectors over and over and the answer is still NO…Now what part of NO do you all not understand….Hawaiians own these lands, not the State and not the UH-HILO and certainly not those who hold a lease to our lands. We Hawaiians are of these lands that we hold sacred to protect her from your destruction and devastation….your commitment are based on past mismanagement and lies. You have destroyed our Ahu’s, you have polluted our sacred sites with your mass buildings to house those who are not of these Islands not to mentioned the waste it creates on…

Actually TMT will not be built so, it won’t be the last one because there will be no TMT on Mauna a Wākea. The project violates conservation, desecration, Hawaiian access and building code laws. The kū kiaʻi mauna are actually upholding the legal protections in place. The government is helping a private corporation break the laws. Enough already. Sorry Lassie. No TMT on the Mauna, period.