Follow-up audit of the management of Mauna Kea and the Mauna Kea Science Reserve : a report to the Governor and the Legislature of the State of Hawaii

Author:

Hawaii Legislature, Office of the Legislative Auditor,

Title:

Follow-up audit of the management of Mauna Kea and the Mauna Kea Science Reserve : a report to the Governor and the Legislature of the State of Hawaii

Year:

2005

Pages:

vi, 52 p.

Subject:

Mauna Kea Science Reserve Management Hawaii Dept. of Land and Natural Resources University of Hawaii at Manoa. Institute for Astronomy Astronomical observatories Mauna Kea Management Conservation of natural resources government policy Mauna Kea Mauna Kea

Summary:

In 1997, the Legislature expressed concerns about the State's management of Mauna Kea and the Mauna Kea Science Reserve. At the time, the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy was the steward of the Mauna Kea Science Reserve under the university's lease with the Department of Land and Natural Resources; the department, as keeper of the public lands, was responsible for managing Mauna Kea in general. Senate Concurrent Resolution No.109 of the 1997 legislative session cited allegations of noncompliance with various plans, violations of agreements, and widely differing interpretations of permitted uses. These concerns resulted in Report No. 98-6, Audit of the Management of Mauna Kea and the Mauna Kea Science Reserve, which found that the University of Hawaii's management of the reserve did not ensure the protection of natural resources. Additionally, the audit found that the Department of Land and Natural Resources' efforts to protect Mauna Kea's natural resources needed improvement, and that implementation of new technology impacted development within the reserve. Since the 1998 audit, individuals as well as community and Hawaiian organizations continue to voice concerns and allegations about the university's and department's lack of transparency, accountability, and equity regarding management of Mauna Kea and the science reserve. To address these and other concerns, the Legislature requested that a follow-up to the 1998 audit be conducted. Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 68, Senate Draft 1, House Draft 1 (SCR No. 68) requested that an assessment of the progress made on the audit's previous findings, in light of recent organizational and other changes, such as the University of Hawaii's updated master plan for the Mauna Kea Science Reserve. The 2005 follow-up audit states that the June 2000 Mauna Kea Science Reserve Master Plan addressed most of the previous audit findings, including establishing controls for and a method of measuring the impact of future development. The new management structure, housed within the University of Hawaii at Hilo and comprised of the Office of Mauna Kea Management, the Mauna Kea Management Board, and the Kahu Ku Mauna Council, was instrumental in establishing controls for the science reserve, particularly the ranger program, which increased visitor education and awareness of Mauna Kea's cultural and natural resources. The audit recommended that the University obtain administrative rule-making authority, revise and update planning documents, and develop, implement, and monitor a comprehensive management plan for natural, cultural, and historic resources of the summit and Hale Pohaku area.

URL:

https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/occl/files/2018/01/Audit-05-13.pdf

Collection:

Monographs