Protect Haleakalā CoalitionSpace Command and Maui Residents Agree on One Thing: Fixed Military Sites Are Targets NowProtect Haleakalā CoalitionWho Was Invited to Develop the MOA for AMOS STAR? The Haleakalā Telescope Agreement Cites a List That Isn’t ThereCivil BeatMaui Residents Anxious About More Military Telescopes Atop HaleakalāProtect Haleakalā CoalitionSpace Command and Maui Residents Agree on One Thing: Fixed Military Sites Are Targets NowProtect Haleakalā CoalitionWho Was Invited to Develop the MOA for AMOS STAR? The Haleakalā Telescope Agreement Cites a List That Isn’t ThereCivil BeatMaui Residents Anxious About More Military Telescopes Atop Haleakalā

Protect Haleakalā.
Respect Hawaiʻi Law.

We are a community network dedicated to preserving the ecological and cultural heritage of the Haleakalā summit area through State, Federal and County laws and agencies. The Dept. of Air Force needs to dutifully follow the legal process, give proper effect to Section-106 consultation and honor Hawai'i law.

Where are we? Timeline of activity

Explore the timeline of concerns and the timeline of ambition in parallel:

The Concerns

May 2023
Public Scoping
2024
Maui County & OHA
Jan 2026
Section 106 Gap
17 Feb 2026
Kīhei Hearing
18 Feb 2026
Pukalani Hearing
20 Feb 2026
Info Request (Letter)
11 Mar 2026
Hanohano ʻO Haleakalā
7 Sep 2026
UIPA #1 Request
15 Sep 2026
Wailea Protest
23 Sep 2026
UIPA #1 Received
25 Sep 2026
MOA Discovery

25 Sep 2026

MOA Discovery

A draft MOA between the Air Force, ACHP, and SHPO is discovered. The MOA cites a list of NHOs invited to consult but the list is not included.

The Ambition

2023
Peak Output: 209 Papers
2025
Post-DEIS Momentum
Jan 2026
DEIS Released by DAF
15 Apr 2026
Objective Force 2040
27 Jul 2026
Space Warfighting Env 2040
Sep 2026
AMOS Conference
29 Sep 2026
Fixed Sites Are Targets

29 Sep 2026

Fixed Sites Are Targets

Analysis of Space Warfighting Environment 2040 reveals that fixed military sites are explicitly identified as targets in a contested space domain.

Read source document →
Watch Livestream
Watch Livestream

Our Mana'o

Answers to some frequently asked questions ↓

Our Community Network

Regardless of what the Air Force Draft Environmental Impact Statement claims, the National Environmental Policy Act process and the Hawaiʻi Environmental Policy Act are the proper legal frameworks for addressing the impacts of the proposed AMOS STAR facility on Haleakalā. We legally challenge the notion that HEPA is not triggered. We will ensure that full due diligence, rigorous cost-benefit analysis, alternative site selection and environmental reports meet a unified definition of community values, expert contribution, county and state standards. We will ensure that a fair and equitable process is delivered for the community, organizations, and the environment. Our keiki are counting on us. When they look back, they will see that we protected Haleakalā and we were good ancestors.

From the Community
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What is AMOS STAR?

The Project

The Project

AMOS STAR is a proposed U.S. Air Force facility on the summit. It involves significant construction and permanent alterations to the sacred landscape.

The Impact

The Impact

The Air Force acknowledges 'adverse effects' to Haleakalā as a Traditional Cultural Property, recognizing its profound spiritual significance.

The Legal Problem

The Legal Problem

Despite these harms, the Air Force has failed to conduct a genuine alternatives analysis as required by federal law, NEPA and Section 106.

The Issues
Issue 001

East Maui Watershed Protection

Environmental // EVIDENCE
East Maui Watershed Protection

The summit of Haleakalā sits directly above the East Maui watershed, which provides two-thirds of the island's drinking water. Any industrial expansion at the summit poses a direct threat to the source of life for Maui's residents.

  • Watershed Vulnerability: Direct path to island aquifers.
  • Vital Resource: Source of 2/3 of Maui's potable water.
  • Industrial Impact: Concerns regarding runoff and ecosystem health.
Issue 002

2023 Diesel Spill: Failure of Oversight

Contamination // EVIDENCE
2023 Diesel Spill: Failure of Oversight

700+ gallons spilled January 2023. Remediation remains open. Investigations revealed a failure of preventative maintenance and a lack of proper leak detection equipment.

  • Maintenance Failure: Not a 'lightning strike' as initially claimed.
  • Lack of Disclosure: History of undisclosed spills at the same site.
  • Open Remediation: 3+ years and the case is still not closed.
Issue 003

Sacred Land & Cultural Identity

Cultural // EVIDENCE
Sacred Land & Cultural Identity

Haleakalā is not just a location for telescopes; it is a sacred relative and a site of profound spiritual significance. The Air Force has acknowledged 'adverse effects' to the summit as a Traditional Cultural Property (TCP).

  • Desecration of Wao Akua: The realm of the gods.
  • Blockage of Access: Kupuna and practitioners restricted.
  • Piko Connection: Generational burial sites of umbilical cords.
Issue 004

Legal & Procedural Failures

Legal // EVIDENCE
Legal & Procedural Failures

The federal review process has been criticized for failing to conduct a genuine analysis of alternative sites. Continental locations were dismissed without rigorous comparison, violating the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

  • Alternatives Analysis: Lack of 'hard look' at continental sites.
  • Section 106: Inadequate consultation with NHOs.
  • HEPA Avoidance: Strategic project shifts to bypass state review.
Issue 005

Alternative Sites & Systems

Alternatives // EVIDENCE
Alternative Sites & Systems

Five primary alternative locations and systems offer comparable or superior capabilities for space domain awareness without impacting sacred lands.

  • White Sands, NM: Existing DAF infrastructure.
  • Mt. Hopkins & Kitt Peak, AZ: Proven atmospheric quality.
  • Space-Based: Zero atmospheric interference, global coverage.
Issue 006

The HEPA Story

Regulatory // EVIDENCE
The HEPA Story

The Air Force strategically avoided Hawaii's environmental review law (HEPA) through project modification, undermining the community's primary regulatory protection.

  • Strategic modification to avoid state permits.
  • Minimized oversight of a project affecting sacred land.
  • Institutional defiance of state and county authority.
Issue 007

Maui County Council Resolution

Political // EVIDENCE
Maui County Council Resolution

Unanimous 9-0 opposition from the Maui County Council. Mayor's Office and OHA Trustee Hulu Lindsey also on record opposing the project.

  • Resolution 24-103: Formal legislative opposition.
  • Unified community leadership stance.
  • OHA Trustee opposition record.
Issue 008

Section 106 Consultation Gap

Legal // EVIDENCE
Section 106 Consultation Gap

Formal NHO consultation did not begin until January 2026 — after prior communications claimed consulting party views had been gathered.

  • Inaccurate reporting to federal agencies.
  • Strategic delay in meaningful consultation.
  • Violation of Section 106 spirit and law.
Issue 009

Space War & Surveillance

Security // EVIDENCE
Space War & Surveillance

Proposed AMOS STAR facility reflects global space-domain warfare. Testifiers raised concerns about Haleakalā becoming a strategic military target.

  • Space Domain Awareness: Military focus.
  • Increased risk of Maui as a strategic target.
  • Surveillance economy overriding community values.
Issue 010

The Decades of Defiance

Historical // EVIDENCE
The Decades of Defiance

A chronological record of contamination, arrests, and community resistance from the 1980s to the present.

  • 1980s-2015: Three major undisclosed diesel and coolant spills.
  • 2023: 700-gallon spill revealed maintenance failures.
  • 2024: Maui County Council votes 9-0 against AMOS STAR.
  • 2026: 80+ testifiers unify in opposition at public hearings.

Latest News & Releases

Space Command and Maui Residents Agree on One Thing: Fixed Military Sites Are Targets Now

Protect Haleakalā Coalition

|

September 29, 2026

Space Command and Maui Residents Agree on One Thing: Fixed Military Sites Are Targets Now

Read article →
Who Was Invited to Develop the MOA for AMOS STAR? The Haleakalā Telescope Agreement Cites a List That Isn’t There

Protect Haleakalā Coalition

|

September 26, 2026

Who Was Invited to Develop the MOA for AMOS STAR? The Haleakalā Telescope Agreement Cites a List That Isn’t There

Read article →
Maui Residents Anxious About More Military Telescopes Atop Haleakalā

Civil Beat

|

September 18, 2026

Maui Residents Anxious About More Military Telescopes Atop Haleakalā

Read article →

The Legal Concerns

Our analysis shows that there is a strong case for continued use of Hawaiʻi Environmental Protect Act (HEPA) to parts of the project, and proper engagement with federal environmental and historic preservation laws. We are holding the Air Force accountable to these standards.

AirForce Must Comply With Hawai'i Law

We call on the U.S. Air Force to comply with both Hawai'i state law (HEPA)and federal law before proceeding with any construction on the summit.

Take Action & Testify
01Genuine Alternatives Analysis
02Proof of Infeasibility
03Meaningful Section 106 Consultation
04Supplemental EIS

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About Our Network

We are a collective of publicly recognized Hawaiian cultural practitioners, ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi experts, business owners, environmentalists, and community leaders working together to protect the summit of Haleakalā.

Kākoʻo Haleakalā

Kākoʻo Haleakalā

@kakoo_haleakala

Kilakila Haleakalā

Kilakila Haleakalā

www.kilakilahaleakala.org

Hoʻoulu Lāhui

Hoʻoulu Lāhui

@hooululahui