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Candidates sought to serve on Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority

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Gov. David Ige and legislative leaders are looking for candidates to serve on the new governing authority for Maunakea.

Those interested in serving on the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority are being asked to apply by Aug. 8. The original deadline was originally set for July 28.

Ige said the deadline was extended after hearing from the community, and to attract a diverse pool of qualified candidates.

Established by Act 255 (HB2024), the authority, whose members will each be appointed to three-year terms, will be tasked with managing Maunakea lands.

The measure transitions the management of Maunakea away from the University of Hawaiʻi. Remnants of UH management on the mauna will remain with the UH Center for Maunakea Stewardship continuing to oversee daily operations through the three-year transition to a new authority.

The authority will have 11 voting members, including:

  • Board of Land and Natural Resources chairperson or their designee
  • Hawaiʻi County mayor or their designee
  • University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents chairperson or a qualified designee
  • An individual with land resource management expertise and specific experience with Hawaiʻi Island‑based management — to be confirmed by the Senate
  • An individual with expertise in the fields of public education or post-secondary education — to be confirmed by the Senate
  • A representative appointed by the governor from a list of three names submitted by Mauna Kea Observatories — to be confirmed by the Senate
  • An individual with business and finance experience who has previous administrative experience in managing a large private-sector business — to be confirmed by the Senate
  • A lineal descendent of a practitioner of Native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices associated with Mauna Kea  — to be confirmed by the Senate
  • A recognized practitioner of Native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices — to be confirmed by the Senate
  • The governor shall appoint two members from a list of three names submitted for each appointment by the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives  — to be confirmed by the Senate

To apply, go to the “Department of Land & Natural Resources” tab on the board and commissions website.

Zoe Dym was a news producer at Hawaiʻi Public Radio.
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