New Mauna Kea Board Asks Legislature To Approve $28M For Transition 0 The panel is gearing up to assume control of the mountain from the University of Hawaii in 2028, but it’s just getting started.
The new governing authority for Mauna Kea needs $28 million over the next two years as it begins the transition to take over stewardship of Hawaii’s tallest mountain in 2028, the interim chair told state lawmakers on Thursday.
Last year, the state adopted a new law that transfers responsibility for the Big Island volcano, an astronomy center that is home to powerful telescopes, from the University of Hawaii to the panel in five years. The decision was a compromise amid concerns that the revered mountain was being exploited.
The Legislature allocated $14 million for the fiscal year that ends June 30 to help the panel get started, but any funds not spent by the end of June will revert back to the state. That’s a problem because the panel so far has spent less than $1,000 on travel expenses to meet on Hawaii island, according to the interim chair, John Komeiji.
