Hawaii Approves Plan for Giant Telescope Atop Dormant Volcano

[mickw]

A telescope that will be one of the largest in the world has been given the green light to be built atop a dormant Hawaiian volcano.

The Hawaiian government's Department of Land and Natural Resources has granted a permit to the University of Hawaii to build and operate the $1.3 billion Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) on Mauna Kea, a 13,803-foot (4,207-meter) volcanic peak on Hawaii's Big Island.

The permit, which was approved Friday (Feb. 25), is the final step in a multi-year vetting process that took the project's cultural and environmental impacts into account, TMT officials said.

"The Thirty Meter Telescope has worked diligently during the past three years to design an observatory that would minimize its environmental and cultural impact," Sandra Dawson, TMT's Manager of Hawaii Community Affairs, said in a statement. "The TMT project also fulfills the requirements outlined in the recently approved Comprehensive Management Plan for Mauna Kea."

More:   TMT

[MarkS]

I don't think they should build green lights atop dormant Hawaiian volcanoes.  And who gives them to telescopes?

[mickw]

 

Only in America

[Rocket Pooch]

A "Permit" these can be revoked!

[mickw]

Odd really, they usually involve the native "elders" in the early stages to avoid expense and grief later on

[Tony G]

They would have asked the Elders, but the University are currently using them to plug the volcanic conduits, which is making the volcano dormant. 

Tony G

[mickw]

So that's how they get a man in dormant 

[Tony G]

Phew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was lucky. They seemed to have picked the right one this time.

Hawaiian Volcano

Tony G