The Board of Land and Natural Resources is allowing construction of a 14-story solar telescope planned for Haleakala to proceed. 

The board approved the conservation district use permit for the University of Hawaii project last week, according to Deborah Ward, spokeswoman for the Department of Land and Natural Resources. 

The $300 million telescope has been embroiled in a two-year contested case after Kilakila o Haleakala, represented by the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp., challenged the permit. 

While the ruling clears the way for telescope construction to begin, the battle over the telescope is unlikely over. The Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. is also challenging the project in court. 

The UH Institute of Astronomy says that the world-class telescope will allow astrophysicists to study solar wind and solar flares and their impact on Earth. 

(Photo: belindah