The 20 years remaining on the current lease might seem like a lot, but it is far from adequate when it comes to the kind of long-term planning that is necessary to properly manage a mountain - it is vital to address the future of Mauna Kea beyond 2033.

The new lease will address the changes made by UH to better manage Mauna Kea in the 13 years since it adopted the 2000 Master Plan. The Master Plan confined development of astronomy facilities to a 525-acre Astronomy Precinct, leaving the remaining 11,000-plus acres in the Mauna Kea Science Reserve as a buffer protecting the mountain's natural and cultural resources. It also created a new, community based management  structure comprised of OMKM, MKMB and Kahu Ku Mauna under the UH Hilo Chancellor. Collectively, we believe that we have demonstrated the effectiveness of these changes, including the creation of such critical documents as the Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP) and its sub-plans, which pay special attention to understanding and protecting Mauna Kea's cultural and natural resources.

The new lease is not a pathway for new development. However, there is no ignoring the fact that Mauna Kea is home to some of the world's leading astronomical facilities. The new lease is necessary in order to provide a basis for developing sublease agreements with current and any potential future telescope projects, which are all obligated to abide by the CMP and its sub-plans, including the eventual decommissioning of facilities.

The new lease would reflect management actions and reporting requirements adopted by the BLNR, which has had a direct hand in reviewing and approving the CMP. The UH is required to report to the BLNR every year on the management of the mountain.

The new lease would allow the implementation of legislation concerning Mauna Kea, such as Act 132, which was passed by the Legislature in 2009. It authorizes UH, in consultation with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, to promulgate administrative rules governing public and commercial activities within the UH Management Areas. The Act also established a special fund into which fees are deposited and can only be applied toward the management of the mountain.

These are significant developments and, while not perfect, UH is achieving its goal of respectfully accommodating all of the people who wish to access the special gifts that Mauna Kea offers. Science and culture can coexist on the summit. The new lease will provide the flexibility and framework that UH and DLNR need, as many of the management recommendations will require long-range planning and practices that extend well beyond the expiration of the current lease. The new lease will ensure that a dedicated, community-based management structure continues to protect and preserve Mauna Kea's precious resources for future generations.