MKSOA takes deliberate approach to Maunakea management transition

The Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority (MKSOA) is taking additional time to review proposed University of Hawaiʻi amendments to the UH Maunakea Master Plan before providing comments.

The Authority says this underscores its commitment to thoughtful decision-making and community engagement as it prepares for the future management of Maunakea.

At its Sept. 10, 2026 meeting, Vice Chair Noe Noe Wong-Wilson called for Authority members and the community to have sufficient time to review the proposed amendments and moved to defer the matter for one month. The members agreed.

The next MKSOA meeting will be held on Oct. 8, 2026. Members of the public who would like to provide comments to MKSOA for the Authority’s consideration may submit them to mka.testimony@hawaii.gov.

“We have a responsibility to understand what is being proposed and to give it the thoughtful consideration it deserves,” Wong-Wilson said. “This is also an opportunity for our community to review the proposed changes and share their manaʻo. Community engagement must remain an important part of how decisions about Maunakea are made.”

UH has announced that it is accepting public comments on its proposed revisions through Sept. 16. The proposed amendments and information about UH’s public comment process are available through UH’s online review site: https://mkmp.konveio.com/.

The UH Master Plan remains in effect during the transition and is separate from MKSOA’s own management plan now in development. MKSOA also completed its Master Transition Plan, developed by its Long-Term Transition Working Group with representatives from UH and the Department of Land and Natural Resources. The plan provides a roadmap for transferring certain assets, responsibilities and obligations to MKSOA and identifies areas requiring further coordination.

“This transition involves decades of agreements, responsibilities and operations, and we appreciate the high level of collaboration we have received from UH and the Center for Maunakea Stewardship,” Chair John Komeiji said. “That partnership is helping us maintain continuity while we build the foundation for MKSOA’s future management responsibilities.”

As MKSOA prepares to assume management responsibility, it is developing an Aspirational Statement, Strategic Framework and comprehensive management plan consistent with the mandates of Act 255, including protection of Maunakea’s cultural and natural resources, recognition of Native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices, responsible stewardship and continued support for education and astronomy. The work will advance in phases over the coming months, with opportunities for community input helping to shape the plans that will guide MKSOA’s future management of Maunakea.

“We appreciate the continued collaboration of UH and the Center for Maunakea Stewardship throughout this transition,” Komeiji said. “CMS brings decades of experience managing these lands, and their willingness to work closely with MKSOA is helping us move forward thoughtfully while maintaining continuity in the stewardship of Maunakea.”