Salazar assesses Statue of Liberty status

NEW YORK, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- New U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar says his tour Friday of the Statue of Liberty in New York was to determine the landmark's current status.

Salazar, who took office under President Barack Obama, said in a U.S. Department of Interior news release that he reviewed accessibility and safety at the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island.

The former U.S. senator from Colorado said he would focus on the historical statue's famed crown, which remained closed after site modifications were completed in 2004.

"The Statue of Liberty is unique among our national parks as a symbol of freedom not only to Americans but also to people around the world," Salazar said. "As a U.S. senator and now as secretary of the interior, I believe the crown should be re-opened to the public if at all possible. I am here today to tour the statue and promise to work hard with the National Park Service to explore all feasible alternatives to reopening it."

Salazar asked in 2008, along with U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., that a study be conducted to determine what changes must take place for the statue's interior to meet fire and safety codes.