Public comment ends Oct. 14 for University of Hawaiʻi’s proposed revisions to Mauna Kea master plan
The University of Hawaiʻi is seeking public feedback on proposed revisions to its 2022 Master Plan for the University of Hawaiʻi Mauna Kea Lands, titled E Ō I Nā Leo (Listen to the Voices), which outlines the university’s approach to managing its lands on Maunakea.
Community members can review the proposed changes and submit comments through Wednesday, Oct. 14, using the online engagement platform that includes frequently asked questions and allows users to comment directly on the text under consideration.
The proposed revisions are intended to align portions of the master plan with Act 255 in the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes Chapter 195H.
The law established the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority change the framework for future management of Maunakea.
Under the amended law, existing university plans and administrative rules will remain in effect during the transition to the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority management until the authority replaces them with its own adopted plans and rules.
The University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents directed university administration in February 2026 to update the master plan to comply with Act 255. Among the proposed changes are revisions to provisions governing the reuse of existing observatory sites and guidelines for new astronomy facilities.
The law allows future astronomy-related development on Maunakea to prioritize the reuse of existing observatory footprints rather than undeveloped land. The proposed updates would clarify how the master plan addresses new astronomy facilities on previously used sites.
University officials said the revisions would be limited to the University of Hawaiʻi Master Plan and would not authorize new land uses or development. No changes are proposed to the Maunakea Comprehensive Management Plan.
The university also reaffirmed its commitment to having no more than nine observatories on Maunakea after 2033.
The existing observatory decommissioning process and plan would remain unchanged.
The proposed revisions are intended to apply broadly to potential future astronomy projects while bringing the university’s current master plan into alignment with state law.
The online platform displays proposed additions and deletions within the plan, allowing community members to see the specific language being considered and provide feedback alongside the relevant text.
Comments submitted through the platform will be considered as the revisions proceed through the review process. The master plan update will follow the review procedures established in the 2022 plan.
Those steps include review by advisory groups affiliated with the Center for Mauna Kea Stewardship, opportunities for public input, review by the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority, and consideration by the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents, which must approve the proposed revisions.
To submit a comment, click here.
