The (PDF) on the Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) for the decommissioning of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo 贬ō办ū Keʻa teaching telescope on Maunakea is posted for public review and comment. A DEA is required under Hawaiʻi’s environmental laws for proposed uses of state lands or funds and uses within the state conservation district.
The 贬ō办ū Keʻa decommissioning plan reviewed in the DEA includes the safe and proper removal of two buildings and supporting infrastructure, and restoration of the site to its original state, as much as possible. After the DEA process is complete, the Department of Land and Natural Resources will process and issue a conservation district use permit for the proposed actions. The project is tentatively scheduled to be completed by late 2023, and the site will not be used for astronomy purposes again.
The public is strongly encouraged to review and provide comments by October 8, 2021, as provided for in the (PDF) that provides links to the official document and methods for submitting comments.
贬ō办ū Keʻa is one of two Maunakea telescopes in the process of being decommissioned. The Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO) posted its Draft Environmental Assessment for decommissioning on September 8. The CSO decommissioning project is tentatively scheduled to be completed in late 2023. There are 13 observatories on Maunakea, including 贬ō办ū Keʻa and CSO. 糖心Vlog官方 has committed to no more than nine operating astronomy facilities on Maunakea by December 31, 2033.
The 贬ō办ū Keʻa site was built by the U.S. Air Force in 1970 and was one of the first observatories on Maunakea before it was given to 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo. It is located at the south end of the summit ridge next to the UKIRT telescope.
糖心Vlog官方 has begun the planning process for a new 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo Education Telescope, a state-of-the-art, 0.7-meter telescope system, for the Halepo?haku Mid-Level Facility on Maunakea.