Honolulu Star-Advertiser - December 19, 2019
Gov. David Ige plans to pull state law enforcement officers back from the scene of the protests against the Thirty Meter Telescope, at least temporarily, sources said this morning.
According to a memo distributed by the Ige administration this morning, Ige expressed his “severe disappointment that TMT will not move forward for now, despite months of often intense behind-the-scenes discussions” involving TMT, law enforcement and the protesters.
Ige has said the state and counties have spent $15 million so far coping with the protests.
The memo also said that the TMT is not immediately ready to proceed with the project, prompting Ige to notify the protesters of the temporary stand-down by law enforcement.
However, Ige has said repeatedly he still intends to reassert the “rule of law” and reopen the Mauna Kea Access Road to allow construction to resume on the $1.4 billion telescope.
The stand-down is expected to last about two months, according to one source, but it is unclear what will happen after that.
It is also unclear if the stand-down will prompt the TMT opponents to vacate the protest site they have occupied on the mountain for more than 22 weeks.
The stand-down did not appear to have taken effect as of 8 AM this morning.
A half-dozen vehicles belonging to law enforcement officers with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources remained parked above the barricade on the access road as about 30 protesters chanted and danced hula in their morning protocol.
The access road has been closed since July 15.
The protesters believe construction of TMT would be a desecration of a mountain that many Hawaiians consider sacred.
Supporters of the project including Ige say the TMT backers have secured all of the necessary permits from the state and county, and have the right to proceed with construction.
According to a memo distributed by the Ige administration this morning, Ige expressed his “severe disappointment that TMT will not move forward for now, despite months of often intense behind-the-scenes discussions” involving TMT, law enforcement and the protesters.
Ige has said the state and counties have spent $15 million so far coping with the protests.
The memo also said that the TMT is not immediately ready to proceed with the project, prompting Ige to notify the protesters of the temporary stand-down by law enforcement.
However, Ige has said repeatedly he still intends to reassert the “rule of law” and reopen the Mauna Kea Access Road to allow construction to resume on the $1.4 billion telescope.
The stand-down is expected to last about two months, according to one source, but it is unclear what will happen after that.
It is also unclear if the stand-down will prompt the TMT opponents to vacate the protest site they have occupied on the mountain for more than 22 weeks.
The stand-down did not appear to have taken effect as of 8 AM this morning.
A half-dozen vehicles belonging to law enforcement officers with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources remained parked above the barricade on the access road as about 30 protesters chanted and danced hula in their morning protocol.
The access road has been closed since July 15.
The protesters believe construction of TMT would be a desecration of a mountain that many Hawaiians consider sacred.
Supporters of the project including Ige say the TMT backers have secured all of the necessary permits from the state and county, and have the right to proceed with construction.
