Public input sought on proposed amendments to University of Hawai‘i’s master plan for Mauna Kea

Public input is sought on proposed amendments to the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority for the Maunakea Master Plan.

During its Sept. 10 meeting, the authority was meant to discuss the proposed revisions to the University of Hawai‘i’s 2022 master plan and their relationship to the authority’s responsibilities during the management transition.

The Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority, which was created in 2022, is charged with formulating a master plan to transition stewardship of 11,000 acres of Hawaiʻi’s highest mountain from the University of Hawaiʻi, which has managed it since 1968, to the state agency.

The goal of the master plan is to balance culture and environment with astronomy and economic benefits.

That transition is slated to be completed by 2028. The authority, created under Act 255, is prohibited from granting lease extensions during this transition period.

The University of Hawaiʻi Master Plan remains in effect during the transition and is separate from the Authority’s own management plan now in development.

The Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority also completed its Master Transition Plan, developed by its Long-Term Transition Working Group with representatives from University of Hawaʻi and the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

During that meeting last week, Vice Chair Noe Noe Wong-Wilson called for Authority members and the community to have sufficient time to review the proposed amendments and moved to defer the matter for one month.

The members agreed.

“The Authority is taking time to review the amendments before providing comments, underscoring the commitment to thoughtful decision-making and community engagement,” according to a news release from the authority.

The next Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority meeting will be held on Oct. 8. Members of the public who would like to provide comments for the Authority’s consideration may submit them to mka.testimony@hawaii.gov.

“We have a responsibility to understand what is being proposed and to give it the thoughtful consideration it deserves,” Wong-Wilson said. “This is also an opportunity for our community to review the proposed changes and share their manaʻo. Community engagement must remain an important part of how decisions about Mauna Kea are made.”

University of Hawaiʻi has announced that it is accepting public comments on its proposed revisions through Sept. 16. The proposed amendments and information about University of Hawaiʻi’s public comment process are available through its online review site.

The plan provides a roadmap for transferring certain assets, responsibilities and obligations to the authority and identifies areas requiring further coordination.

“This transition involves decades of agreements, responsibilities and operations, and we appreciate the high level of collaboration we have received from UH and the Center for Maunakea Stewardship,” Chair John Komeiji said. “That partnership is helping us maintain continuity while we build the foundation for the Authority’s future management responsibilities.”

As the authority prepares to assume management responsibility, it is developing an Aspirational Statement, Strategic Framework and comprehensive management plan consistent with the mandates of Act 255, including protection of Mauna Kea’s cultural and natural resources, recognition of Native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices, responsible stewardship and continued support for education and astronomy.

“CMS brings decades of experience managing these lands, and their willingness to work closely with MKSOA is helping us move forward thoughtfully while maintaining continuity in the stewardship of Mauna Kea,” Komeiji said