Officials tour wildlife refuge damage

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (WPRI) – It has been almost two months since Hurricane Sandy swept through Southern New England and popular wildlife refuge is still off limits to visitors.

On Friday Senator Jack Reed joined by the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service and other officials took a tour to look over the damage.

The Sachuset Point National Wildlife Refuge is visited by thousands of people each year.

Senator Reed is seeking federal assistance to help repair the area and is spearheading a bill that includes 78 million dollars to meet recovery costs for all national wildlife refuge on the eastern seaboard.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Officials tell Eyewitness news that they hope to have the refuge back open by January.