TMT Official Says Next Move Awaits State

An artist’s rendering of TMT with its vents open. TMT photo.

Thirty Meter Telescope officials hope that its $1.4 billion project will move forward on Mauna Kea.

State officials are reportedly being waited upon to discuss how to move forward, according to the Associated Press, who spoke with TMT Executive Director Ed Stone. Stone participated in a Chamber of Commerce Hawai’i panel on the future of Mauna Kea on Friday.

Stone reportedly said that he “wants to move forward with the project but is waiting to hear from state officials about how to proceed” since the Hawai’i Supreme Court invalidated the telescope builder’s construction permit on Dec. 2.

The permit was invalidated on the same day that a temporary stay on TMT’s permit was going to expire.

During the December ruling, the Supreme Court noted that the Board of Land and Natural Resources “put the cart before the horse,” issuing a permit before the resolution of a request for a contested cases hearing.

In the ruling, State Supreme Court justices said they would vacate the judgment of the Circuit Court, including the permit issued by the Board, so that a contested hearing could be conducted.

Stone told the AP that telescope officials were in need of more information from the state about the requirements to obtain a permit that is valid.

On Friday, panelists reportedly urged telescope supporters to be more vocal.