The work of decommissioning Hoku Kea Observatory is expected to take four months.
John De Fries is a former president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
A lawsuit is the latest salvo in a yearslong legal battle over future of the Big Island mountain.
The important astronomical instrument has been in decline for years.
The hearings heard that Native Hawaiian perspectives have been previously dismissed.
Goodfellow Bros. will soon begin dismantling the buildings and restoring the site.
A Senate bill would challenge the scope of the authority's jurisdiction over the dormant volcano.