The Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources has reportedly granted a permit to the University of Hawaii at Hilo for the construction of the $1.3 billion Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). The telescope will be built atop Mauna Kea and will be one of the largest telescopes in the world, according to the university.

The TMT has been in development for over a decade, but the large amount of land needed for its construction raised concerns over the environmental and cultural impact of such a project. Now, however, the land board has rendered a final decision, saying that the university had satisfied the eight criteria necessary under Hawaiian state law to allow the venture to go forward.