Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 21, Number 6, 1 June 2004 — Mauna Kea improvements [ARTICLE]

Mauna Kea improvements

As director of the Office of Mauna Kea Management at UH Hilo, I would like to offer a few comments in response to your recent article about the March 2 legislative briefing regarding the 1998 Legislative Auditor's Report on Mauna Kea. We would like to emphasize that, mueh more than being just an "update" of previous plans, the University of Hawai'i's 2000 Mauna Kea Science Reserve Master Plan laid out a completely new management structure, starting with the establishment of the Office of Mauna Kea Management (OMKM) at UH Hilo, the Mauna Kea Management Board (MKMB) and Kahu Kū Mauna, a Native Hawaiian cultural advisory eouneil. This action shifted on-the-ground management of activities on Mauna Kea from the Mānoa-based Institute for Astronomy to these Hawai'i-island entities. We were disappointed that the article did not mention our office's detailed report on the progress being made to implement the auditor's recommendations, including establishment of a Ranger corps to provide daily oversight of summit activities. Foremost amongst the Rangers' duties is monitoring cultural and natural resources, in addition to providing health and safety information to visitors, and emergency assistance when needed. Beyond fulfilling one of the auditor's key recommendations, the swift implementation of the Ranger program reflects UH's

commitment to protecting Mauna Kea's sacred cultural and natural resources. Further, the article quoted several statements made at the briefing that we believe deserve clarification: First, 48,000 gallons of sewage a month are NOT "released into the mountain." On average, 48,000 gallons of water are hauled to the summit eaeh month, for both restroom use and observatory operations. Eaeh of the summit facilities has approved wastewater facilities, primarily septic systems. Water used in combination with special chemicals for such things as telescope mirror cleaning is collected separately and removed from the mountain, not deposited in the septic systems. Secondly, comments describing a "99 percent decline" in the wēkiu bug capture rate are based on two small surveys using different trapping methods. Scientific studies are ongoing so that we may establish more useful baseline data to protect this unique insect. Mueh change has taken plaee in the stewardship of this precious landscape since the establishment of the OMKM just three-and-a-half years ago. Hawaiians are actively engaged in the management process, including the members of the Kahu Kū Mauna Council, Hawaiian Culture Committee, Ranger program, Visitor Information Station staff, Chair of the MKMB and Director of OMKM, to name a few. Anyone visiting the mountain ean see and feel the changes. William Stormont Hilo

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