US environmental study launched for Thirty Meter Telescope

By AUDREY McAVOY
Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) — The National Science Foundation says it will conduct a study to evaluate the environmental effects of building one of the world’s largest optical telescopes on sites selected in Hawaii and Spain’s Canary Islands. The telescope’s supporters for more than a decade have pursued plans to build on Hawaii’s Mauna Kea but have selected La Palma off the coast of Africa as an alternate. The Hawaii site has faced strong opposition from Native Hawaiians who consider the summit sacred. The agency plans August meetings on the Big Island of Hawaii. It won’t decide on funding the telescope until it considers public input, the environmental review and the project’s technical readiness.