GOVERNOR LINGLE LAUDS HAWAI`I SELECTION FOR THIRTY METER TELESCOPE AS ADVANCEMENT FOR HAWAI`I'S INNOVATION ECONOMY

For Immediate Release:  July 21, 2009

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today praised the decision by the board of directors of the TMT Observatory Corporation to select Mauna Kea as the preferred site for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). 

“Today’s decision to build the Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea marks an extraordinary step forward in the state’s continuing efforts to establish Hawai‘i as a center for global innovation for the future. 

“As we work to address immediate fiscal and economic challenges facing the state, it is imperative that we also remain focused on investing in our long-term future and building the foundation for a diverse and robust economy. The TMT is another important advancement that will help us achieve long-term prosperity for Hawai‘i.

“Over the next eight years, the TMT will create employment opportunities for our residents, including hundreds of jobs in the construction and related industries, as well as an estimated 140 full-time employees once the project begins operations. 

“Having the most advanced telescope in the world on the slopes of Mauna Kea will enhance Hawai‘i’s high-technology sector, while providing our students with education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

“Securing the TMT would not have been possible without the collaboration of the entire community, which demonstrated an outpouring of support for this important project.  The community became engaged in the process, learning about the benefits of the TMT and asking tough questions to ensure that it would be the right fit for Hawai‘i – one that would help transform our economy toward innovation, while being sensitive to our state’s unique heritage, culture and environment.  From public meetings to grassroots rallies with ‘TMT Yes’ buttons and signs, the entire community – including businesses, labor unions, the University of Hawai‘i, schools, individual citizens, and state and county government – deserves to share in this milestone.”

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For more information, contact:

Lenny Klompus
Senior Advisor – Communications
Phone: (808) 586-7708

Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: (808) 586-0043