Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, April 10, 2022

   Committee Chair Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz said the amendments would lead to "balance the interests and concerns of our native Hawaiian community to properly steward a cultural treasure with the interests of the state," and for "University of Hawaiʻi to continue its world-class science-based education and academic research unit in astronomy on Maunakea. In collaboration with the Higher Education Chair, these proposed amendments are reflective of the discussions that we’ve had with various community groups, stakeholders, and from testimony submitted." The original language of the legislation would have removed University of Hawai'i management of Maunakea and establish the Maunakea Stewardship and Oversight Authority as the primary managing agency.
   The new language, said Dela Cruz, "creates joint oversight of Maunakea between the University and the newly created Authority. The responsibilities to manage the mountain will be bifurcated and split between two entities. The new Authority will manage approximately 9,450 acres on the mountain, while the University will manage the astronomy research lands comprised of the Astronomy Precinct, the Halepohaku complex, and the Maunakea Access Road, or approximately 550 acres.

Measures at the Hawai'i Legislature would change the management of Maunakea and its telescope campus, cultural sites and open lands. Photo from Center for Maunakea Stewardship

    "The existing 1968 and 1999 state leases between the State Board of Land and Natural Resources and the University will be kept in place. They’re expiring in 2033.
    "The university, as lessee under the State leases, will sub lease to the Authority within a year of its operational formation, lands totally 9,450 acres – which we have labeled the Maunakea Conservation Lands. The Authority will be charged to properly conserve, protect, and manage the public uses of the Maunakea Conservation Lands. At the same time, the University will be solely responsible to care for and manage astronomy research lands.
    "The joint oversight structure addresses the perceived threat to the future of astronomy in our State through a collaborative sharing of management duties and responsibilities between the Authority and the University of Hawaiʻi. The current administrative organization under the aegis of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo will be kept in place, and will continue to service the operational and staff needs of both the new Authority and the University, thereby avoiding any additional costs associated with creating a new organizational structure, or two separate administrative structures." The legislation aims to prohibit selling essential goods and services at exorbitant prices, during or in anticipation of a natural disaster, pandemic, or state of emergency. Hirono noted that the Federal Trade Commission and other federal agencies have limited legal authority to prevent price gouging. The Disaster and Emergency Pricing Abuse Prevention Act would give the FTC more tools to go after excessive and unjustified price increases in the sale of certain products and services when an emergency or disaster occurs.

    It would: Prohibit selling, or offering for sale, essential goods and services at an unconscionably excessive price during or in anticipation of a natural disaster, pandemic or state of emergency. It would apply to goods and services that may be used to preserve, protect, or sustain the health, safety or welfare of members of the public from potential harms resulting from a natural disaster, a pandemic or the circumstances giving rise to a state of emergency.
   It would provide for potential civil penalties; and it would not preempt state price gouging laws.
    The full text of the Disaster and Emergency Pricing Abuse Prevention Act can be found here.