Four of the 15 members of a working group that will consider alternate management structures for Maunakea have been identified.
The Working Group to Develop Recommendations for a Governance and Management Structure for Maunakea is being formed after the passage of state House Resolution 33 earlier this month.
Following a somewhat critical independent evaluation of the University of Hawaii’s management of the Maunakea summit lands, state Rep. David Tarnas, D-Kohala, introduced the resolution in order to allow for a full consideration of the issue from all stakeholders.
Of the working group, four members will represent the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the state Board of Land and Natural Resources, the UH Board of Regents and the Maunakea Observatories.
Those entities will be represented by OHA Chief Advocate Sterling Wong, BLNR First Deputy Robert Masuda, UH-Hilo Chancellor Bonnie Irwin and Rich Matsuda, the chief operating officer at W.M. Keck Observatory.
Seven other members will be Native Hawaiians nominated by Native Hawaiian groups or organizations. Those nominations will be submitted by April 5.
Three of the remaining members will be members of the state House of Representatives. Those members, and the chair, will be selected by House Speaker Scott Saiki.