After
months of testimony, a former state judge recommended that the
officials in Hawaii offer a key permit building the Thirty Meter
Telescope (TMT) on the Mauna Kea. It is a step back on the road for the project, the fierce resistance
of Hawaiians prompted and was suspended, until the end of 2015 after a
decision of the Supreme Court of Hawaii.The
recommendation of July 26, the judge for Riki mai Amano retirement in
the board of the countries and the natural resources of the state, marks
the conclusion of more than 40 days of controversial hearings after the
Supreme Court ruled that the process completed by original- License was broken. However, the TMT project has a long way to go before rebooting. Office of the state country should hold hearings more before making a final decision. TMT and opponents say that when the Council issued permission to go back to court to try to block it. Meanwhile, a separate process, a rental contract TMT is challenging, is underway.
TMT
officials said they are moving the telescope that would be one of the
largest and most powerful ground-based instruments in the world in the
Canary Islands at another location in La Palma if they can not begin
construction in Hawaii in April 2018. But in A statement yesterday, TMT Executive Director Ed Stein, said he is satisfied with the decision. "Respect hope that the next steps," he said.
The leaders of the University of Hawaii, which holds the master's
lease on the Mauna Kea and was party to the hearing, was also satisfied
with the decision.
TMT opponents were disappointed, but not surprised. Some Amano accused of advancing the telescope is tense. "It is very difficult to convince us that [if] due diligence deserves
it," said Kealoha Pisciotta, who participated in the hearing as an
individual as president of Mauna Kea Anaina Hou, an organization of
professionals of Hawaiian culture.
Lanny
Sinkin, who is based on the island of Hawaii Temple of Lono, a group of
Hawaiian faith, said that the opponents of TMT will continue to
question the project. "It's not over yet," he said.
Amano recommended that every license holder of many conditions. Add
the TMT requirement staff trained in cultural and natural resources to
implement an invasive species control program on the telescope site and
provide $ 1 million per year for a "community benefit from plan." TMT
said that his plan already contains many of the Recommended.
State officials say they are considering the recommendation to establish a timetable for the next steps.