Beach access in Buxton, N.C., located near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, has been shut down for more than a year due to a petroleum leak at a former military facility that was under water until recent storms and erosion unearthed the site.
In an area known for relaxation and the sounds of the ocean waves, residents are instead met with dangerous structures above ground and the stench of oil.
Col. Ron Sturgeon with the Army Corps of Engineers appeared at a Dare County meeting last week. Administrators and residents who were eagerly awaiting a soil report were met instead with more bad news.
The Army Corps of Engineers representative said they still do not have results of testing completed in May. More comprehensive testing is planned in the future to find the cause of the leak. The Buxton Naval Facility closed on June 30, 1982. The U.S. Coast Guard used the property until 2010.
“This doesn’t make sense. That’s the frustration that our citizens are feeling, is the fact that it’s been four months and the folks that are supposed to review this haven’t gotten the report,” said Bob Woodard, chair of the Dare County Board of Commissioners, in a news story on WTKR. Woodard said they may ask federal and state representatives for help expediting efforts in Buxton.
The Outer Banks beach was closed on Sept. 1, 2023.
At last week’s Board of Commissioners meeting, a member of the Buxton Civic Association expressed her frustration with the current situation. She would like to see the Environmental Protection Agency get involved now.
“I walked out here this morning, and I smelled petroleum so bad that it made me want to gag,” said Wendi Munden, a real estate agent in Buxton. “Seeing structures that are shoulder high, sticking up out of the ground, and hearing that they’re not going to take those out, that’s sad.”
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Crystal Graham
