After years of protests and legal battles, officials have announced that a massive telescope which will allow scientists to peer into the most distant reaches of our early universe will be built on a Hawaiian volcano that some consider sacred.
The state announced a "notice to proceed" for the Thirty Meter Telescope project at a news conference Thursday.
Hawaii Gov David Ige said it was the final legal step in a long, often contentious, process, and that construction is expected to begin sometime this summer.
"We will proceed in a way that respects the people, place and culture that make Hawaii unique," Ige said.
"We are all stewards of Mauna Kea. The state has an obligation to respect and honour the unique cultural and natural resources on this special mountain."
"These are places of worship and the places where we lay our offering and our prayer."
"We were preparing to head up tonight for the solstice and to honor him."
"We have worked a long time to hear each other and to make a choice as a collective community. To the many who support this project, let us always hold all views as one. Let us always touch the mountain as we gaze out beyond the sky."
"For safety we encourage that this conversation happens somewhere other than on Mauna Kea."
"The safety of our community depends upon people respecting the law and each other."
"It has been a long process to get to this point."
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