Hawaii board delays decision on location for giant telescope

HONOLULU (AP) — A key decision on where to place a $1.4 billion giant telescope has been delayed.

The board of governors for the Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory is still considering whether to allow construction to go forward on the targeted site, Mauna Kea, a mountain in Hawaii. An alternative location in Spain's Canary Islands remains under consideration, the board said in a statement Friday.

"We continue to assess the ongoing situation as we work toward a decision," said Ed Stone, the executive director of the TMT International Observatory. Mauna Kea "remains our preferred choice."

The board hasn't provided a timeline for a decision as it plans to let legal and regulatory challenges play out on both sites.