What's Being Discussed

The Maunakea Management Board is holding its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, July 7, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. The meeting is both in-person (Institute for Astronomy, Kūkahauʻula – Left Side Foyer, 640 N. Aohoku Place, Hilo) and virtual via Zoom. Key topics include:

• Transition to the Maunakea Stewardship and Oversight Authority (MKSOA): The University of Hawaiʻi is moving to transfer the general lease for the Maunakea Science Reserve to this new governing body.
• UH Master Plan Amendment: An update on proposed changes to the long-term management plan for Maunakea.
• Environmental Impact Statement and Administrative Rules: The MKSOA has issued requests for proposals (RFPs) to begin these processes.
• Financial Stabilization Plan: A review of an operational services transition package addressing the financial outlook during the management changeover.
• Kahu Kū Mauna Report: A report from the advisory council that represents Native Hawaiian interests on Maunakea.

Decisions Expected

• Approval of the minutes from the June 2, 2026 meeting.
• The board will enter a closed executive session to consult with its attorney about the board's legal rights and responsibilities in its joint management role with MKSOA.

Who Should Pay Attention

• Native Hawaiian communities with cultural connections to Maunakea
• Astronomy and science researchers who use Maunakea observatories
• Hawaiʻi Island residents interested in how Maunakea is managed and funded
• Anyone who wants to testify — oral testimony registration is due by 7:00 a.m. on the day of the meeting