Some Mauna Kea Working Group Members Named

On March 4, 2021, the Hawaiʻi House of Representatives adopted House Resolution 33, convening a Working Group to Develop Recommendations for a Governance and Management Structure for Mauna Kea.

The 15-member Working Group is tasked with developing recommendations for a new governance and management structure for Mauna Kea that collaboratively engages with all stakeholders, particularly the Native Hawaiian community.

Four members of the Working Group include representatives from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Board of Land and Natural Resources, University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents, and Mauna Kea Observatories. The organizations were asked to identify their representatives by March 24, 2021. The following Working Group members have been named by stakeholder organizations:

• Sterling Wong, Chief Advocate of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, will represent the Office of Hawaiian Affairs
• Robert K. Masuda, First Deputy, will represent the Board of Land and Natural Resources
• Bonnie Irwin, Chancellor of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, will represent the University of Hawaiʻi’s Board of Regents
• Rich Matsuda, Chief External Relations Officer and interim Chief Operating Officer at the W. M. Keck Observatory, will represent the Maunakea Observatories

In addition, House Speaker Scott K. Saiki will select the Chair, three members of the House of Representatives to participate in the Working Group, and seven representatives of Native Hawaiian groups, organizations, or communities. Nominations for the seven Native Hawaiians nominated by Native Hawaiian groups, organizations, or communities are due by 4:30 pm on Monday, April 5, 2021. The nomination form is available on the House website: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/docs/2021MaunaKeaResoNomination.pdf