Hirono, Tokuda, Case introduce resolution recognizing history, contributions, and significance of Maunaloa Observatory

US Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and US Reps. Jill Tokuda (D-HI) and Ed Case (D-HI) introduced a resolution recognizing the history and important contributions of the Maunaloa Observatory (MLO) on Hawaiʻi Island.

The resolution also commemorates the 69^th anniversary of the Maunaloa Observatory and honors the cultural significance of Maunaloa itself to the Native Hawaiian community. The Hawaiʻi lawmakers introduced the resolution after the Trump Administration announced its plans to cancel the lease for several National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) facilities earlier this year, including an office needed to support the MLO.  

“Closing NOAA facilities, including the office in Hilo, would do significant harm to our country’s ability to track greenhouse gases and compromise the communities and economies that rely on these facilities,” said Senator Hirono. “The historic research conducted at the Maunaloa Observatory has been monumental in contributing to the world’s understanding of climate change and our country’s leadership in atmospheric research. Trump has already frozen scientific research funding and undermined the Environmental Protection Agency—cancelling this lease is yet another attack on science. I’ll keep fighting to safeguard critical facilities, such as the MLO, so that collection of this important climate change data will continue, uninterrupted, for the benefit of families and communities across the country.”

“For almost 70 years, Maunaloa Observatory has stood as one of the most important scientific monitoring stations on Earth, placing Hawaiʻi at the forefront of global efforts to understand our changing climate. The data collected here tells us critical information about how much pollution is building up in our air, how fast our planet is warming, and what that means for extreme weather events like wildfires, floods, and rising seas,” said Rep. Tokuda. “Unfortunately, the Trump administration has proposed shutting down this facility — putting critical science at risk, turning our backs on local workers, and sending a dangerous message that politics matter more than truth and our responsibility to future generations. That’s why I’m proud to have introduced this resolution with Senator Hirono, commemorating the 69th anniversary of the Maunaloa Observatory and reaffirming Congress’s strong support for its continued operation and legacy of scientific leadership.”

“Since 1958, our Maunaloa Observatory has been the world’s premier atmospheric measurement and research facility, leading our world in identifying and understanding the scientific reality of climate change” said Rep. Case. “Any effort to undercut the work of the observatory will cripple not only our generational leadership in atmospheric science, but our worldwide efforts to specifically identify and address the threat of our age.”  

The research conducted at MLO allows scientists to measure greenhouse gases, track methane emissions, and study the increasing levels of carbon dioxide. Scientists use this information to assess long-term changes in climate records, enabling them to better predict the frequency of extreme weather events—such as heat waves, droughts, and floods—which increases with the rise in climate change. MLO is part of a global network of stations that monitor the atmosphere. In addition to the MLO office, the Trump Administration also announced its plans to close three other monitoring stations in Alaska, American Samoa, and the South Pole.

The full text of the resolution is available here.