Lady Liberty's sea-washed gates closed indefinitely

The Statue of Liberty still lifts her lamp beside the golden door, but the island that's home to the iconic statue was severely tempest-tost by Superstorm Sandy. Flood damage inflicted by the storm has closed Liberty Island and nearby Ellis Island indefinitely. The statue itself escaped the storm unscathed. But across Liberty Island, paving stones are missing and large chunks of fence are washed away. Docks and buildings will need to be repaired or replaced. On nearby Ellis Island, historical artifacts and exhibits survived the storm intact, but underground flooding destroyed a lot of the island's infrastructure, including heating and electrical systems. The National Park Service says these two islands alone will need $59 million worth of repairs. Add in the damage at other nearby national parks, such as Gateway National Recreation Area and Fire Island National Seashore, and the total rises to more than $200 million. Salazar says the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island may reopen in phases as repairs are completed...more

 A lot more than Sandy has been destroying Lady Liberty.