Washington Monument has cracks, could cost $15 million to repair, report says

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The Washington Monument, damaged in the August earthquake, is cracked in dozens of places, according to a National Park Service report released Thursday.

Six marble panels near the pointed top of the monument — called the “pyramidion” — have severe cracking, and. water is leaking through to the observation areas, according to the report.

The report — prepared by government contractors Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. and Tipping Mar — also documents other cracks throughout the structure.

The Park Service will receive $7.5 million in funds to repair the monument under the fiscal 2012 spending bill approved last week. The agency is expected to match that funding with private donations, according to legislation.

The report recommends

Temporary weatherization such as sealants and special insulation to prevent further leaks.

A new study to determine how vulnerable the monument is to future earthquakes.

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  1. My feeling is that the well paid contractors the government uses to do these thing should at least donate the labor to fix the problems, of course the taxpayers should pay for material and equipment, but, we all know the contractors are very well paid for the things they do and should give something back in return in the spirit of the goodness for the nation!

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