Public input sought on update to UH Maunakea Master Plan

News Release from University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Sept 1, 2026

The University of Hawaiʻi is asking the community to weigh in on proposed updates to the 2022 Master Plan for the University of Hawaiʻi Maunakea Lands: E Ō I Nā Leo (Listen to the Voices), which outlines the process for UH management of Maunakea lands. 

The proposed updates would align portions of the plan with Act 255/Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes Chapter 195H, as amended, which established the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority (MKSOA) and changed the framework for future management of Maunakea.

Under the amended Act 255, all existing UH plans and administrative rules remain in effect during the transition to MKSOA management until they are replaced by plans and rules adopted by MKSOA.

UH is asking the public to review and provide feedback on the proposed updates through September 16, 2026. The public can comment directly on the proposed revisions through an online engagement platform, which also includes answers to frequently asked questions. 

Review the proposed revisions and submit comments

More information on the public feedback process is below.

Proposed update

The UH Board of Regents directed the university administration in February 2026 to update the Master Plan to be consistent with Act 255. Key elements of the proposed revisions include:

Updating sections related to site reuse, including guidelines for new astronomy facilities. Act 255 allows future astronomy-related development on Maunakea to prioritize the reuse of existing observatory footprints over undeveloped lands. 
Updating sections related to guidelines for new astronomy facilities on previously used sites.

The revisions would be limited to the UH Master Plan and do not call for new land use or new development. No revisions to the Maunakea Comprehensive Management Plan are proposed. UH remains committed to having no more than nine observatories after 2033 and to keeping the existing decommissioning process and plan unchanged. 

The proposed revisions are intended to apply broadly to potential future astronomy projects and are focused on bringing the current UH Master Plan into alignment with state law.

“Maunakea is important to many people for many different reasons, and hearing from the community is an integral part of this process,” said Greg Chun, executive director of the UH Hilo Center for Maunakea Stewardship. “We invite the community to take some time to review the proposed revisions, ask questions and share their manaʻo, their perspectives with us.”

Public feedback encouraged

The online platform allows community members to review the specific pages proposed for revision and leave comments directly alongside the text. The proposed additions and deletions are shown within the plan so users can see exactly what language is being considered.

Comments submitted through the site will be considered as the proposed revisions move through the review process. The public will have the opportunity to provide in-person and written testimony at the upcoming public meetings:

September 8: Maunakea Management Board
September 10: Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority 

The proposal will also have to be approved by the UH Board of Regents. The Master Plan update is following the review process established in the 2022 Master Plan. That includes review by the Center for Maunakea Stewardship’s advisory groups, opportunities for public input, review by MKSOA and consideration by the UH Board of Regents.

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REALITY: HB2592: Maunakea authority has 2 years to fail—then telescope area goes back to UH control