Volume 1, Number 7
FREE
January, 2025
New Telescopes Spark Controversy
By Taryn Kama
T
he Department of the Air Force's (DAF) proposal to add seven new telescopes at Haleakalā's summit – a state conservation district and a site sacred to Native Hawaiians – is sparking controversy ahead of the upcoming Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), due in early 2025. In collaboration with the U.S. Space Force and the Air Force Research Laboratory, DAF has proposed the Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing Site Small Telescope Advanced Research (AMOS STAR) facility, which is actually two facilities. This project aims to track satellites and prevent orbital collisions. The proposed telescope facility would be located near the existing Haleakalā Observatory. It also includes the construction of a 60,000-square-foot building for data processing in Kihei. This plan has sparked significant debate, especially among Native Hawaiians who consider Haleakalā a sacred site. According to Sean Castellano, spokesperson for Space Operations Command Public Affairs, the EIS draft is being prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Hawaiian environmental regulations. It is expected to be released in February or March 2025, followed by public hearings and an eight-week public comment period. The final version will also require approvals from other government agencies such as National Park Service, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, and other agency stakeholders. Last May, DAF held scoping meetings in Kahului, Pukalani, and Kihei that drew hundreds of attendees, many of them Native Hawaiians who consider Haleakalā sacred.
Maui’s Science City may soon expand.
Clare Apana, who was born and raised on Maui, said “I am also appalled that we really don’t have a voice when it comes to something that the military or the government wants or what a developer or ‘big money’ wants. We have not been able to be the true stewards of that land.” Lucienne de Naie, spokesperson for the Maui Chapter of the Sierra Club, echoed these sentiments. “Haleakalā is a sacred place. Even if you are not Hawaiian, you can feel its unique spiritual energy. The Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian people) have a deep relationship with these places, which are considered the zone of the gods.” Native Hawaiians Joyclynn Costa and Johanna Kamaunu have been actively consulting with government officials, particularly on cleanup efforts following a fuel spill in January 2023. Kamaunu shared that their conversations provided valuable insights into the scientific research being conducted at the summit of the volcano. “I was totally overwhelmed with what they did up there. It was the amount of work that is up there. There is so much money flying around there with what is happening with satellites in space . . . For me, I got antsy about the idea that we have targets on our backs. There are things happening up there. This community is not receiving any benefits,” she added. “We don't have any other alternative but to communicate with them. I don’t mind that if I feel that we are on the same level of communication,” Costa said. “I am not saying it’s good or bad. I couldn’t say one way or the other if it’s necessary or not, but they should have made that consideration prior to them deciding if it’s necessary.” “We all should count because we live on one planet. I want to come to a place where we are notified of stuff…before I enter your house, can you ask me before you enter my house? Can you ask me before you rip your windows out?” she said.
Many testified that they oppose further installation of telescopes, feeling that while they are given the opportunity to comment, their voices are not truly being heard. Additonally, on June 5, the Maui County Council voted unanimously to oppose the project’s construction. Government Perspective Government officials emphasize the project's importance for advancing Space Domain Awareness capabilities. According to Castellano, the proposed location, adjacent to the fully developed Maui Space Surveillance Complex, minimizes environmental impact by utilizing already disturbed areas. “The AMOS STAR project is critical to addressing rising threats in space. While the location is essential for its success, we deeply respect the environmental and spiritual concerns of Haleakalā,” Castellano stated. “As we move through this process, it is imperative we honor the long-standing partnership with the people of Maui and communicate early and often to address their concerns.” Standing at 10,000 feet, the summit of Haleakalā already hosts six academic and four space surveillance telescopes. Officials argue that Article Continues On Page 4. > adding new telescopes will strengthen scientific and military capabilities while limiting impacts What's Inside: to new areas. Native Hawaiian Concerns Chinese New Year Brings Hope.....................3 Many Native Hawaiians express strong Book Highlights Fire Relief Efforts...............5 opposition to the project, citing cultural and Food Review: Fabiani’s...................................6 environmental concerns. They argue that the New Year Goal Setting Tips...........................7 summit is sacred and that previous projects have already harmed the land.