{"id":111581,"date":"2020-02-20T14:30:10","date_gmt":"2020-02-21T00:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=111581"},"modified":"2020-02-20T16:20:24","modified_gmt":"2020-02-21T02:20:24","slug":"decommissioning-2-maunakea-telescopes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2020\/02\/20\/decommissioning-2-maunakea-telescopes\/","title":{"rendered":"Decommissioning of 2 Maunakea telescopes expected to be complete by 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><div class=\"responsive-video-wrap-post\"><figure class=\"wp-block-embed wp-block-embed-youtube is-type-video is-provider-youtube epyt-figure\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><iframe  id=\"_ytid_82175\"  width=\"620\" height=\"349\"  data-origwidth=\"620\" data-origheight=\"349\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bff8nuh3qqQ?enablejsapi=1&origin=https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu&rel=0&autoplay=0&cc_load_policy=0&cc_lang_pref=&iv_load_policy=1&loop=0&fs=1&playsinline=0&autohide=2&theme=dark&color=red&controls=1&disablekb=0&\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  no-lazyload\" title=\"Decommissioning of 2 Maunakea telescopes expected to be complete by 2023\"  allow=\"fullscreen; accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div>\n<p>The decommissioning of two telescopes on University of <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>-managed lands on Maunakea is tentatively scheduled to be completed by 2023. This is according to an update provided by the university to the <abbr title=\"University of Hawaii\">UH<\/abbr> Board of Regents (<abbr>BOR<\/abbr>) at the board\u2019s February 20 meeting at <abbr>UH<\/abbr> West <span aria-label=\"Oahu\">O&#699;ahu<\/span>. The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Submillimeter Observatory and the <abbr>UH<\/abbr> Hilo H\u014dk\u016b <span aria-label=\"Kea\">Ke&#699;a<\/span> teaching telescope are both making progress in the extensive decommissioning process, according to <abbr>UH<\/abbr> Executive Director of Maunakea Stewardship Greg Chun, who provided the update to the regents.<\/p>\n<p>The <abbr>BOR<\/abbr> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2019\/11\/07\/regents-approve-maunakea-stewardship-resolution\/\">adopted a resolution in November 2019<\/a> directing <abbr>UH<\/abbr> leadership to strengthen its stewardship of Maunakea and report back regularly on the progress of 11 action items. The first action item in the resolution is the decommissioning of Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (<abbr>CSO<\/abbr>) and H\u014dk\u016b <span aria-label=\"Kea\">Ke&#699;a<\/span>.<\/p>\n<h2>Telescope decommissioning process<\/h2>\n<p>The 2010 Decommissioning Plan for the Maunakea Observatories, a sub-plan of the Maunakea Comprehensive Management Plan, describes the four-step decommissioning process for the removal of an observatory followed by a site restoration to its original state, to the greatest extent possible.<\/p>\n<p><abbr>UH<\/abbr>\u2019s Office of Maunakea Management (<abbr>OMKM<\/abbr>) is responsible for coordinating the overall process and coordinating with the State of <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> and the Department of Land and Natural Resources. The respective observatory is responsible for preparing the Site Decommissioning Plan along with compliance and permit documents and implementing decommissioning.<\/p>\n<h2><abbr>CSO<\/abbr> decommissioning update<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_111585\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-111585\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/system-caltech-telescope-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"The California Institute of Technology Submillimeter Observatory\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-111585\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/system-caltech-telescope-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/system-caltech-telescope-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/system-caltech-telescope-630x353.jpg 630w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/system-caltech-telescope.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-111585\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The California Institute of Technology Submillimeter Observatory<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><abbr>CSO<\/abbr> is the first telescope\/observatory to undertake the decommissioning process after it announced it would cease operations. The deconstruction and site restoration work is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2021 and be completed by mid-to-late 2022. The financial responsibility of the removal and site restoration rests fully with Caltech. The decommissioning will include the removal of the dome, outbuildings and related infrastructure along with the restoration of the site. The astronomical instruments inside the observatory have already been removed.<\/p>\n<p><abbr>CSO<\/abbr> is now finalizing the draft Environmental Assessment (<abbr>EA<\/abbr>) after completing the required technical surveys, including an Environmental Site Assessment and a Hazardous Materials Assessment. Caltech commissioned a number of studies for the process including an archeological assessment, a cultural setting analysis, a hydrogeological evaluation, a biological inventory, a biological setting analysis, a traffic analysis and an asbestos\/lead paint\/mold survey.<\/p>\n<p>Along with completing the draft <abbr>EA<\/abbr>, which describes the site as well as the potential impacts of the decommissioning process, <abbr>CSO<\/abbr> is also in the process of completing the historic preservation review, Draft Mitigation\/Monitoring Plan and Decommissioning Funding Plan.<\/p>\n<p>As part of the process laid out in the 2010 Decommissioning Plan for the Maunakea Observatories, <abbr>CSO<\/abbr> is also required to complete a Site Deconstruction and Removal Plan and a Site Restoration Plan, all of which are subject to approval by <abbr>OMKM<\/abbr> and the appropriate agencies (along with the necessary permits) before deconstruction can begin.<\/p>\n<h2>H\u014dk\u016b <span aria-label=\"Kea\">Ke&#699;a<\/span> decommissioning update<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_36350\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-36350\" style=\"width: 260px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/UH24inObs-Nview_001-260x195.jpg\" alt=\"telescope on Maunakea\" width=\"260\" height=\"195\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-36350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/UH24inObs-Nview_001-260x195.jpg 260w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/UH24inObs-Nview_001.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 260px) 100vw, 260px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-36350\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The <abbr>UH<\/abbr> Hilo 24&#8243; Educational Telescope, H\u014dk\u016b <span aria-label=\"Kea\">Ke&#699;a<\/span> (foreground)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The deconstruction and site restoration of H\u014dk\u016b <span aria-label=\"Kea\">Ke&#699;a<\/span> is tentatively scheduled to begin in early 2023 and take about six months. The project will follow the detailed process in the Decommissioning Plan for the Maunakea Observatories.<\/p>\n<p>On February 18, 2020, the Maunakea Management Board approved <abbr>UH<\/abbr> Hilo\u2019s Notice of Intent to decommission the H\u014dk\u016b <span aria-label=\"Kea\">Ke&#699;a<\/span> telescope on the condition that the university simultaneously proceed with the planning and permitting for a new teaching telescope for <abbr>UH<\/abbr> Hilo students and the <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Island community. The process includes identifying a new location, possibly the Hale P\u014dhaku mid-level facilities on Maunakea. The university is financially responsible for the decommissioning of H\u014dk\u016b <span aria-label=\"Kea\">Ke&#699;a<\/span> and establishing the new <abbr>UH<\/abbr> Hilo teaching telescope.<\/p>\n<p>The university selected a construction project management firm in February 2020 to handle the planning and permitting for the telescope decommissioning that includes preparing the Environmental Assessment, hazardous material assessments, State Historic Preservation Division clearances, Conservation District use application, design\/bid construction package and the archeological plan along with the community consultation, the Kahu K\u016b Mauna (Native Hawaiian volunteer community-based advisory council) review and acquiring the necessary permits.<\/p>\n<p>The university is in the process of awarding a contract to identify a new location and begin the planning process for the <abbr>UH<\/abbr> Hilo teaching telescope, which would be considerably smaller than the current telescopes on Maunakea.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The California Institute of Technology Submillimeter Observatory and the <abbr>UH<\/abbr> Hilo H\u014dk\u016b <span aria-label=\"Kea\">Ke&#699;a<\/span> teaching telescope are both making progress in the extensive decommissioning process, according to an update to the Board of Regents.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1193,814],"tags":[659,305,14,947],"class_list":["post-111581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-administrative","category-maunakea","tag-maunakea","tag-office-of-mauna-kea-management","tag-uh-hilo","tag-uh-system","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111581"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111581\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":111609,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111581\/revisions\/111609"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=111581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=111581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}