HILO, Hawai'i — Backers of a project to build the world's most powerful telescope say it wouldn't desecrate Mauna Kea if it were built there.

Some Native Hawaiian groups believe Mauna Kea is a sacred mountain, and the Thirty Meter Telescope would defile it.

But Michael Bolte, a Thirty Meter Telescope board member, disagrees. He acknowledges some people will never accept the telescope, but he's looking for common ground.

"The astronomy endeavor is not very different from the Native Hawaiian reverence for the mountain," he said. "I think telescopes are beneficial, and I think they represent something wonderful."

The telescope is a joint project of the California Institute of Technology, the University of California and the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy.

Cerro Armazones in Chile is another candidate site for the device.

Once completed, the telescope will be three times bigger than the largest telescopes currently in use.

Thirty Meter Telescope's management understands gaining acceptance from the community will be a key to getting the telescope built in Hawaii. The consortium already helps operate other telescopes on Mauna Kea, so it is well aware of the issues.

Sandra Dawson, TMT's site manager, emphasized the telescope would not be built on the summit and would be out of view from most places on the Big Island.

She's sent out a letter to people who may oppose the project and has asked for their input.

She plans to set up a booth at the Hilo Farmers Market to talk with people about the telescope.

The group intends to finish its environmental impact statement on the telescope around April.

An environmental impact statement for Cerro Armazones has already been completed and submitted to the Chilean government for review.

Bolte will have a vote in determining where the telescope, estimated to cost $1.1 billion, will be built.

He said Mauna Kea stacked up favorably compared to Cerro Armazones in several categories.

Studies have found that the air above Mauna Kea is cold and stable, both pluses.

Mauna Kea boasts extensive support infrastructure, from living facilities for astronomers to roads, electricity, fiber-optic cable and water.

None of that is available on Cerro Armazones. To get to this mountain, scientists have to fly to the capital city of Santiago, then board a smaller plane to the northern coastal city of Antofagasta. From there it's a two-hour drive through the Atacama Desert, the driest spot on Earth.

The Chilean mountain is 10,500 feet high, while the Mauna Kea site is some 3,000 feet higher, another plus for Hawai'i.

On the other hand, the desert climate works in Cerro Armazones' favor, since Mauna Kea records more cloudy days.

More significantly, Cerro Armazones has no known historical, cultural or archaeological significance, and the Chilean government is actively promoting the development of astronomy.

"Chile, at the federal government level, they recognize astronomy as an industry," Bolte said.