Pacific

Objections raised to huge Hawaii telescope project

13:40 pm on 17 April 2013

Some native Hawaiians plan to appeal against the U.S. state's plan to allow the world's biggest telescope to be built on the summit of Hawaii's tallest volcano.

Pua Case is one of six petitioners from the island of Hawaii, who have been opposed to the 1.5 billion US dollar project on Mauna Kea.

She says it's not the first telescope to go up there, but its sheer size threatens the landscape, and will destroy burial sites.

She says it doesn't bode well for many who consider the land sacred.

"If you just think about the construction, the desecration, the destruction, of our sacred mountain by building that 30 meters telescope it just goes beyond anything we could ever agree to, could to even fathom at this time to leave our children and our children's children, that is not what we can allow."

Petitioner Pua Case.

Opponents have until early May to file an appeal with the state's Land and Natural Resources Board.