The National Science Foundation (NSF) will be funding the construction of the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST). The ATST project was proposed by the National Solar Observatory (NSO), which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA). The location of the project will be within the University of Hawaii, Institute of Astronomy (UH IfA) Haleakalā High Altitude Observatory site at the summit of Haleakalā, adjacent to Haleakalā National Park. The only access road to the UH IfA site is through Halekalā National Park (HALE) 

A Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed ATST project has been prepared by the NSF in compliance with the Federal National Environmental Policy Act and State of Hawaii Chapter 343, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

The FEIS also serves to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with the NPS issuing a Special Use Permit (SUP) to NSO/AURA to operate commercial vehicles on the HALE road during the construction and operation of the ATST project. The FEIS is available online at http://atst.nso.edu/FEIS

Recently the National Science Foundation (NSF) has issued it's Record of Decision (ROD). The ROD formally documents the alternative chosen, the mitigation measures to be implemented, and the rationale used to come to the decision. To review the NSF's Record of Decision click here. 

For information about the NSF’s ROD contact: Caroline Blanco, National Science Foundation Federal Preservation Officer at (703) 292-4592 or email: e-mail us.

More information about the NSF Advanced Technology Solar Telescope Project can be found online at the ATST webpage: http://atst.nso.edu/