Lady Liberty dome reviewed for reopening

NEW YORK, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- The safety of fully reopening the Statue of Liberty in New York to the public is being studied, a congressman says.

Rep. Anthony Weiner, D- N.Y., confirmed Baltimore contractor Hughes Associates Inc. is being paid $150,000 to analyze the possibility of reopening Lady Liberty's crown, which has been closed since 2001. The statue's pedestal was reopened four years ago but safety and security concerns have kept the crown off-limits, the New York Daily News reported Wednesday.

The Hughes report is expected by February, said Weiner, who expressed mixed feelings about the study.

"I'm pleased, but a little bit concerned. ... This is a good step if it brings the National Park Service to where they need to be to reopen the crown," he said. "But if it's just another bureaucratic barrier, then it's not worth the paper it's written on."