(BIVN) – A public hearing on the latest draft of the proposed Mauna Kea administrative rules was held Tuesday night at Waiakea Elementary School in Hilo.

It was the second of four public hearings scheduled by the University of Hawai‘i on the latest draft of rules that would govern public and commercial activity on UH-managed lands on Mauna Kea.

The current draft was prepared after a first round of public hearings in 2018 and a three-month, informal process that started in January 2019. The initial version of the rules drew widespread criticism.

The next hearing is set for tonight – Wednesday, June 5 – from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Waikoloa Elementary and Middle School.

The last hearing will take place on Friday, June 7, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Pōmaikaʻi Elementary School (4650 S. Kamehameha Avenue, Kahului, HI 93732).

After the public hearings, the University of Hawaiʻi says rules may be further refined and brought back before the UH regents in a publicly noticed meeting currently anticipated for July 18, 2019. “The regents may approve, request a third round of public hearings or defer decision-making”, UH officials say. “If approved by the regents, the rules will proceed through the remainder of the administrative rules process to the governor for final review and approval.”