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John Makely / NBC News
Officials on Tuesday announced the Statue of Liberty will open July 4, more than nine months after Hurricane Sandy struck.
The Statue of Liberty, closed since Hurricane Sandy battered the Northeast more than nine months ago, will reopen to the public on July 4, officials announced Tuesday.
In a conference call with reporters, outgoing Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and New York Sen. Chuck Schumer announced that Liberty Island is on track to re-open on America's birthday with a new dock, improved energy infrastructure and repaired facilities.
"July Fourth is the perfect day to reopen a symbol of our nation's freedom, and speaks volumes about New York's resilience," Schumer said in press release after the call. "Lady Liberty was hit hard by Superstorm Sandy, but just like New York, she will be back - and stronger than ever. Being open for the summer tourism season isn't just important symbolically, it's a boon to the city's economy and businesses."
The statute itself was unharmed when the super storm hit in late October. But crippling damage to the rest of the island has left it unsafe for visitors. About 75 percent of Liberty Island was submerged. Nearly all the island’s infrastructure was destroyed by water that was more than five feet deep over some parts of the 12-acre area.
“It’s good news, it’s a little overdue, but at least it’s there and now we’ll watch like a hawk to make sure that this promise is kept,” Schumer told NBCNewYork.com.
It's been months since the Statue of Liberty was closed due to Hurricane Sandy, but it's now slated to reopen for visitors on the Fourth of July. NBC's Brian Williams reports.
The Democratic senator has at times been critical of the Department of the Interior for not setting a date for the statue's re-opening. The uncertainty, Schumer said, cost New York tourism revenue and jobs to those who worked on Liberty Island and neighboring Ellis Island.
But on Tuesday, Schumer thanked Salazar for his hard work in reopening the monument.
It also took Congress 91 days after the storm hit for Congress to pass a $50.5 billion relief package. Almost $60 million of will go to repairing the country's national parks, including Liberty Island.
Park officials told NBC News last month that the money will go not only to repairing the damage, but rebuilding for the future so that the next storm does not have the same crippling impact.
"As we rebuild the region, we will do so in a way that makes New York and New Jersey stronger, safer and more resilient than ever before," Salazar said in the statement with Schumer Tuesday.
There is still no opening date set for neighboring Ellis Island, which suffered more extensive damage and houses one million artifacts.
Related: Lonely Lady Liberty awaits tourists and repairs after Sandy
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Unknown to most visitors, the US National Park's Service has a special bonus for those attempting entry to the Statue of Liberty. It consists of a secruity check inside a building before one boards the ferry to Liberty Island. This building is quite a disaster in and of itself. After waiting in a long line you will be searched and scanned by the yelling security staff inside that temporary building. The experience will have you wondering if you're going to Rikers Island instead of Liberty Island, to make you feel like a real New Yorker.
Can I drink a Big Gulp while I wait?
Only if you want to be on a boat going east, WAY east!
Alan, sounds like my last flight through O'Hare!
From the Liberty Island security checklist:
Bombs - Banned, Firearms - Banned, Cigarettes - Banned, Big Gulps - Banned
Does Mayor Bloomberg know if it's "healthy" to visit Lady Liberty? If it absolutely can't be guaranteed, then it must be banned.
Seriously Jerry, being surrounded by copper is dangerous, I learned it is a conductor from X-men. And being afraid of heights???? We can't have people being afraid in this country, that would be like kids feeling they are left out.
Ban Lady Liberty, it just might, possibly, have a chance, of being dangerous.
Oh sorry, I got that wrong, liberals will want to ban Lady Liberty for what she stands for, not for the dangers she imposes.
Not so fast:
Yep, it is all because of
the Republicans'Mr. Obama's Sequester-Gate.Not exactly. If the statue were hit by lightning for example you'd be well protected due to the skin effect (no pun) where electricity flows on the outside skin of a conductor.
The price of freedom I guess. I used to work at the Statue when I was a younger man and I still have a warm place in my heart for it for it is where I met my wife.
She's tough she's a HARBOR CHICK!
Yeah, she is from NYC's red light district.
I recall in the late 80's or early 90's..that the statue was eroding and in danger. There was a grassroots effort to collect donations ( yes..I did ) to rebuild her. I had coworkers who were welders on the project later on. So now, our government is broke, cutting services to ill and infirm..but can still pay to fix her, but not help those who lost all in Hurrican Sandy. Where are the citizens who woul donate to save her ..was there no one willing to give back to America and keep this symbol sound and available to the future ?
The Statue was a Gift from France.
yea, we saved thier AZZ in the big wars
I think it's called a tribute.
It was given to us before WWI as a gift
inarizona1 yea we saved thier AZZ in the big wars
Read your history the French saved our "AZZ" in the revolutionary war. So if it were not for the French we could still be under British rule.
Send it back to France...F.O.B. Destination.
Where are the proofreaders? Hurricane Sandy was not 9 months ago---less than 5 months.
You might wanna try reading the article again, they said it will be reopened in time for the 4th of July, at that time it will be 9 months after Sandy. Why is reading comprehension so difficult for so many?
MrEd, it appears that you need a lesson in reading comprehension. Read the sentence again:
"The Statue of Liberty, closed since Hurricane Sandy battered the Northeast more than nine months ago, will reopen to the public on July 4, officials announced Tuesday."
The phrase "closed since Hurricane Sandy battered the Northeast more than nine months ago" is separated with commas, thereby suggesting that the Statue of Liberty was closed more than nine months ago from today. I understand that the writer wanted to say that it would be closed for nine months after it reopens on July 4, but the sentence is not structured that way.
Well it would seem that the article has conflicting statements
You can't open it what about The Sequestration, oh no stop before it's too late, all those Big Gulps and no Federal Food Police to save them, this truly is a dark time!
Quick call out FEMA and insure its safe, I'll wait here until Barry Obama give me the thumbs up!
Sequestration it's not funny all those unaborted babies could die with out shots and then go to school and starve or buy gun shaped pastries.......the horror!!!
A lonely, really lonely, very lonely, mostly alone, alone a lot, alone all the time, no friends, alone, sorry, lonelier than alone federal employee out on the ice checking if He can get back home finely after 5 months of isolation, but 2 checks and stay a while longer is I. The Rich wouldn't help, no name for them in honor in a lasting memorial Roman lettered statuesque above the main entrance. No donations to help ! Please save me if not her! Please !
I am surprised that Obama hasn't tried to send the Statue of Liberty back to France! It has to be a "white mans'" plot to put down minorities! The girl is obviously a honky!
Nice to know how accurate the writer of this story is. I thought this storm occured in October, 5 months ago, not 9 months ago in May. What a moron!!
You too might wanna try reading the article again, they said it will be reopened in time for the 4th of July, at that time it will be 9 months after Sandy. Why is reading comprehension so difficult for so many? I just love to hear people call others morons while making moronic statements themselves.
Visited Lady Liberty last september and was glad to be able to visit, but was not impressed with the shoddy looking island. The grounds looked horrible. For being such a landmark it is not very well cared for. Guess it took the storm to do more damage so it can finally be fixed.
There's one guy who lives on Liberty Island. He's supposed to maintain the island in some way. Maybe his lawmower was sequestored?
People the Caption for the pic says that the Statue will open on July 4th, 9 months after Hurricane Sandy!
It doesn't say the hurricane was 9 months ago. From end of October to begining of July is 9 Months!
The writer has not made a mistake...some just need to notice that a comma has been used.
The republicans are worried about who's paying for the reopening, they're so patriotic.
At least they're concerned about someone paying the bill, Democrats on the other hand never worry about who gets to pay, they just spend the money and let future generations worry about paying.
wonder what happen to the statue mexico was going to build down in Brownsville Tex?
Obama should be a butthole and close it down too, just like he did for all the little kids wanting to come to the White House.
Huh? Last I heard the Easter egg hunt was still on.
I went to Liberty & Ellis Islands as a kid on a public school class trip, and then again as an adult last summer with my family. Yes, the security checkpoint before the ferry is grungy, and yes, all the money worries after the storm may cast a bit of a negative light for some people, but I hope we can remember to recognize what an important part of America these Islands are. My immigrant relatives names are etched on the wall at Ellis, and I have priceless photos of my family with Lady Liberty in the background. I'm glad to hear the Islands are being repaired!
Why would Chuck Schumer be involved? I thought the whole NY vs. NJ debate was settled long ago... maps clearly show Liberty Island fully on the NJ side of the maritime boundary line.
Almost all of these are Smart-Ass comments that detract from the beauty of the Lady.
It is almost like she is the American 'Lady of the Lake,' but she still represents a wonderful opportunity and a great nation.
Not unlike her tablets that read, "Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me," that is what happened here, and now, we are the tempest tost, who became homeless, yet we have a home.