A portion of Buxton’s ocean shore will remain closed to the public as officials continue monitoring the section for likely contamination.
The closure entails three-tenths of a mile of shoreline adjacent to the Buxton Formerly Used Defense Site, or FUDS, an area that was as a submarine monitoring station by the U.S. Navy for decades.
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In September 2023, soils on the beach adjacent to the site, also known as the Buxton Beach Access, tested positive for petroleum contamination.
The Dare County Department of Health and Human Services, in consultation with Cape Hatteras National Seashore, issued the updated public health advisory Tuesday.
The decision to keep this portion of beach closed “was made after factoring in the amount of contaminated soil and water removed by the Corps (of Engineers) and the prolonged period of time between the last report of apparent petroleum sheens or odors in the area,” according to a release.
About two-tenths of a mile of beach starting at the southernmost jetty in Buxton and continuing south was reopened.
Additional information on the Buxton beach access and conditions may be found online.
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