No re-opening date yet for Statue, Ellis Island

NEW YORK (AP) — Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar says the security screening process for visitors to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island must be worked out before a decision is made on when to reopen the attractions that have been closed since Superstorm Sandy.

Salazar visited the sites on Tuesday. Both Liberty Island and Ellis Island have been closed since suffering major damage in the storm. The Statue of Liberty itself was unharmed.

Salazar says that while a lot of repair work has been done, much is left to do. He says officials are still trying to decide if security screenings will stay in Battery Park or take place on the islands themselves.

A meeting on the issue is scheduled for next week.