Saiki Finalizes Mauna Kea Working Group Membership - Honolulu Civil Beat Protest leaders, UH officials and astronomers will all have seats on the panel. Reading time: 3 minutes. Membership of a working group tasked with developing a plan to restructure the management of Mauna Kea has been finalized, House Speaker Scott Saiki announced Monday at a press conference. Among the group’s members are representatives of several state agencies, observatory workers, House lawmakers, University of Hawaii officials and opponents of the Thirty Meter Telescope, a $2 billion project that stalled most recently in 2019 amid protests on Mauna Kea. Saiki appointed Rep. Mark Nakashima, whose district includes Mauna Kea, as chairman of the panel. Work is expected to wrap up by December and in time for the 2022 legislative session.