Governor David Ige's veto meeting on Monday also included discussions on the current situation in Mauna Kea. The controversy over the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope has engulfed the area. Governor Ige addressed the concerns of journalists related to the current happenings on Mauna Kea.

He was asked about the timeline and circumstances surrounding access to Mauna Kea through the access road. "We are working with the University and all the agencies involved to create a plan that would assure that we could keep access safe for all of the workers, visitors, and the people who work on the other telescopes on Mauna Kea", said

He added that they are looking forward to not move away from existing rules, regulations, and laws, and keep focus on securing the mountain top and assuring access.

Governor Ige is not happy about the forced closure of the Mauna Key access road by the Office of Mauna Kea Management. He said in a statement on Monday that safety is the matter of paramount importance for him.

The governor vowed to take actions to ensure that access to facilities is available to public and the workers as well as those who are involved in the project.

He emphasized the importance of enforcing those laws as they exist today. He talked about his intention to enforce even laws, rules, and regulations regarding camping equally among everyone.

The University of Hawaii has the responsibility of managing the telescope and it has obtained the permits required to kick off the construction.