WHEREAS, the Mauna Kea summit land is the home to advanced technology telescopes owned by world's leading astronomy institutions and universities, with at least thirteen observatories, some of which are multi-million dollar projects, making it the top spot for land-based star-gazing; and

WHEREAS, the Mauna Kea summit land is ceded land and part of the public land trust; and

WHEREAS, a lease agreement dated June 21, 1968, for a term of sixty-five years, between the Department of Land and Natural Resources as lessor, and the University of Hawaii as lessee, for the lease of the Mauna Kea forest reserve does not provide for any lease rent amount; and

WHEREAS, instead of charging lease rent, the university reportedly requires each facility to provide a percentage of its observatory time to the UH Astronomy Institute; and

WHEREAS, a long-standing and genuine issue has arose as to the amount of lease rent that should be paid for use of the Mauna Kea Summit land; and

WHEREAS, there are conflicting interests in this matter which involve the State, the University of Hawaii (via the Institute for Astronomy), and Native Hawaiian stakeholders; and

WHEREAS, a special committee is necessary to bring parties together to confer and cooperate to reach a mutually agreeable solution to the issue; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, that a Senate Special Committee is established pursuant to Rule 14(3) of the Rules of the Senate to study the leasing of public lands comprising the Mauna Kea Summit; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate Special Committee be composed of the Chair of the Committee on Higher Education, as Task Force Chair; Chair of the Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture; and Chair of the Committee on Transportation and Government Operations; and a minority member to be selected by Minority Leader; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and University of Hawaii Institute of Astronomy are requested to consult with and provide input to the Senate Special Committee for purposes of this measure; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate Special Committee is requested to report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2007, with findings and recommendations as follows:

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, President of the University of Hawaii, University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Senate President.

Report Title:

Mauna Kea Summit; Senate Special Committee