The piko (summit) of Haleakalā is part of the wao akua (realm of deities), a profoundly sacred place for Hawaiians and many others. As a wahi kapu, it requires restraint, reverence, and limited human presence mediated through kuleana—right and responsibility rooted in aloha ʻāina—not entitlement. 

The Department of the Air Force's proposal to build seven new telescopes on this sacred site under the AMOS STAR project threatens to desecrate a place that is central to our cultural and spiritual practices and is a conservation district containing endangered Hawaiian plants and animals (kūpuna).

89% of prior public scoping comments were in opposition to this project. The Maui County Council passed a unanimous resolution against it. OHA (the Office of Hawaiian Affairs) also stands in opposition, alongside many native Hawaiian organizations and other groups.

On Janauary 30, 2026, the Department of the Air Force issued its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for this project, a massive 516-page document that they compiled over the course of 9 months. Yet, they expect the citizens of Maui County and concerned global citizens to thoroughly review this document in a mere 18 days for oral testimony and 45 days for written comments. This timeline is completely unreasonable and inequitable.

We demand that the public commentary period be extended by an additional four months, with the final deadline being July 16, 2026. This extension is crucial to ensure that more voices from our community and from those around the world who value the preservation of Haleakalā can be heard.

Join us in standing firm to protect Haleakalā. Sign this petition to 1) Show your support for the "no action alternative" and 2) Demand a halt to the project and an extension of the public commentary period to ensure that our community has a fair opportunity to voice its concerns. 

Your signature can help to defend our mountain against further militarization. Stand with us today.

E pale i ka piko! Defend the summit!

#protecthaleakala

Learn more at:

https://www.kilakilahaleakala.org/

https://www.protecthaleakala.com/

Follow @kakoo_haleakala on Instagram

And join us at Pukalani Community Center on 2/18/26, 5:30p for ʻaha followed by public testimony.