The Statue of Liberty is set to reopen July 4 after being closed since Hurricane Sandy hit last October.

According to The New York Daily News, Sandy’s surge caused damage to both Liberty Island and Ellis Island, and crews have spent the past eight months repairing and replacing damaged docks, buildings and structures, as well as preparing security screening facilities for both islands.

The National Park Service is backing plans for new security screening on Ellis Island, despite past NYPD objections. Visitors to the Statue of Liberty will no longer go through screening stations at Battery Park or Liberty State Park in New Jersey before they board ferries to the Liberty Island. Instead, they will be screened directly at Ellis Island, and then screened again at a second checkpoint being set up inside Lady Liberty’s base at Liberty Island.  

The NYPD has objected, claiming that the change to Ellis Island screening leaves ferries vulnerable to attack.