Ke Kalahea

Ke Kalahea - University of Hawaii at Hilo Student-Run Newspaper

Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority

by Paulina Jany | Copy Editor
Photos by Alana Dodson | Photographer

View of Mauna Kea with the observatories visibleView of Mauna Kea with the observatories visible 1. Creation/function of MKSOA
a. In July, Governor David Ige signed Act 255. This act establishes the Maunakea Stewardship and Oversight Authority (MKSOA), which will assume governance and management responsibility over Mauna Kea after a five-year transition period, beginning next year. Currently, the University of Hawaiʻi (UH) and the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources hold this role. The authority was created in response to the 2019 TMT protests and recommendations from the Mauna Kea Working Group formed by the House of Representatives. On the board will be eleven voting members appointed by the governor, all with expertise in specific fields. Many of those appointed have a Hawaiian cultural background, ensuring that those with cultural expertise will now have voting rights on the management of Mauna Kea rather than only being advisors to current summit managers.

2. Impacts
a. The creation of this authority will have an impact on the current management of the Mauna. Astronomy was declared a priority of the state, and MKSOA’s focus is to balance this priority while preserving the cultural and environmental aspects of Mauna Kea. The authority intends to establish rules and limits on development, and potentially limit commercial use and activities if beneficial. The Caltech Submillimeter Observatory and UH Hōkū Kea Telescope are also in the process of being decommissioned in order to align with the upcoming limits on the number of telescopes.

b. Among these responsibilities are granting new leases and managing current ones. UH currently holds the master lease and subleases to other organizations, which will continue until the lease's expiration in 2033. After the master lease's expiration, the group will be able to grant new leases. Despite the lease's expiration, a minimum of 7% of observing time will be reserved for UH at all observatories.

3. People
a. Governor David Ige publicly announced his appointees. Under the bill, eleven people with specified qualifications will be on the authority. Along with the eleven nominees will be three ex-officio (part of the board by virtue of their office) voting members and one ex-officio non-voting member. The nominees have yet to be approved by the state senate.

b. The nominees are

  1. Joshua Lanakila Mangauil

    • Prominent leader of the 2019 Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) protests, which ultimately led to the formation of MKSOA
    • Recognized Hawaiian traditional practitioner through both practice and genealogy
    • Founder/director of E Ola Mau I Ka Pono, the Hawaiian cultural center of Hāmākua
    • Served on the Mauna Kea Working Group.

  2. Michelle Noe Noe Wong-Wilson

    • Nominated by the House of Representatives
    • Prominent leader in the 2019 TMT protests along with Mangauil and a member of the Mauna Kea Working Group
    • Retired Hawaiʻi Community College Hawaiian Studies assistant professor and obtained her education from UH Hilo and Mānoa

  3. Kamanamaikalani Beamer

    • Professor at UH Mānoa at Kamakakūokalani center for Hawaiian studies, with a joint appointment at Richardson school of law and Hawaiinuiakea school of Hawaiian knowledge
    • Experienced with ʻāina resource management, specifically Big Island-based management
    • Co-founder of ʻĀina Aloha Economic Futures
    • Hopes to uplift Hawaiian values to guide economic recovery efforts
    • Author of many books and publications advocating for preserving Hawaiian rights and culture.

  4. John Komeiji

    • Former Kamehameha school general council
    • Nominated for his business and finance experience including previous administration experience managing large private-sector businesses
    • Recipient of the Hawai‘i Venture Capitalist Association’s Corporate Intrapreneur of the Year Award and the University of Hawai‘i’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

  5. Rich Matsuda

    • Only appointee representing the astronomy community
    • Leads community relations for the W. M. Keck observatory, where he works as an engineer
    • Nominated by Mauna Kea Observatories
    • Astronomy representative on the House of Representatives Mauna Kea Working Group
    • Believes that as a part of the scientific community, he can bring a different perspective on the preservation of Mauna Kea.

  6. Gary “Kalehua” Krug

    • Education officer at the Hawaiʻi Department of Education
    • Has experience with preschool through 12th grade, and post-secondary education
    • Has worked at UH Mānoa in the masters of education Hoʻoulawiai teaching program

  7. Pomaikai Bertelmann

    • Lineal descendant of Mauna Kea traditional and customary practices practitioner
    • Founding member of the ʻOhana Waʻa society
    • Member of the Polynesian Voyaging Society for 22 years.

  8. Paul Horner

    • President and CEO of Nā Leo TV
    • Contributes both cultural and business experience
    • Hopes to balance culture, balance, and science to benefit the community and the Mauna.

  9. The following are the ex-officio members:

    • Chair Suzanne Case is the chairperson of the board on Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).
    • Douglass Shipman Adams is the designee for the office of the mayor of County of Hawaiʻi. He is the director of research and development management.
    • Eugene Bal III is the designee for the chairperson of the Board of Regents and UH Hilo. He is also a current member of the Board of Regents.
    • Chancellor Bonnie Irwin of UH Hilo is the only non-voting member on the authority.