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Dare County announced on Monday, September 16, 2024 that remediation efforts are finally underway at the Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) in Buxton that has been closed to the public since Friday, September 1, 2023 due to the presence of petroleum contamination that has been entering the ocean on a recurring basis and the remnants of unsafe military infrastructure.

On Monday, March 4, 2024, the Dare County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution entitled, “Resolution Requesting Immediate Action to Rectify the Discharge of Oil into the Atlantic Ocean and Adjoining Shoreline, Remove Derelict Infrastructure and Restore the Buxton Beach Access Site to its Pre-Military Condition to Protect the Environment and Public Health and Safety,” calling for action by federal and state agencies responsible for ensuring the health and safety of the public and protecting the environment at the Buxton FUDS.

Action was taken after an update from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Savannah District Commander Col. Ron Sturgeon was provided during the Dare County Board of Commissioners meeting that was held on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.

Sturgeon faced tough scrutiny from commissioners after telling them that further testing and work at the site would not happen in the near future. He said, “All of this [testing and the results up to this point] really confirms that comprehensive sampling of the project area is the correct next step to take.” He acknowledged that the USACE’s contract for performing more comprehensive testing of the entire project area was expected to be awarded in October 2024, with work not expected to begin until 2025.

Prior to Sturgeon’s presentation to the commissioners, concerned citizens and stakeholders from the community – particularly residents and business owners from Buxton, including the Buxton Civic Association and other Hatteras Island villages – voiced their concerns and shared their frustrations with the situation during the public comment portion of the meeting.

The sentiments shared by local citizens were echoed by several Dare County commissioners, who expressed frustration with the slow pace of the sampling process and subsequent site remediation and urged the USACE to take more immediate action to address the issue.

Two days after Sturgeon’s presentation and his visit to the site, the USACE announced that a team of geologists and heavy equipment operators would be on the site for two weeks. On Friday, September 13, 2024, the USACE released another statement announcing that a contract was awarded to remove contaminated soils at the site and that work is expected to begin by Friday, September 20, 2024. In that release, USACE Commanding General Lt. Gen. Scott A. Spellmon said, “We are committed to the safety of the community. Together with our federal, state and local partners, we’re going to find the contamination, and we’re going to remove it.”

In reflecting on efforts over the past year to bring awareness to the issues and expedite remediation at the site, Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bob Woodard thanked his fellow commissioners and key staff members for their diligent efforts and determination.

“The Board of Commissioners, along with County Manager Bobby Outten, Emergency Management Director Drew Pearson and Health & Human Services Director Sheila Davies, have done everything possible to seek action to address the problems,” said Woodard. “Members of our board have traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with our federal representatives so they would understand how critical it was for there to be accountability within the federal government and for cleanup to begin.”

In addition, Woodard praised Buxton Civic Association members for their efforts to draw attention to the ongoing issues affecting their community and to ensure that the voices of its residents are heard through their participation in public comment at various meetings, as well as their ongoing engagement with those involved in planning and implementing remediation activities at the site.

“This dedicated group of community members has come together with a shared sense of purpose, and their commitment to getting the word out and pushing for action has truly made a difference. Their passion and determination have been instrumental in ensuring that this issue remains a priority and is on track to be resolved,” said Woodard, who also offered praise to the National Park Service for its unwavering commitment to ensuring the issue is addressed.

“Superintendent [David] Hallac and his team at the National Park Service have also shown exceptional leadership and dedication, and they have worked tirelessly to ensure that this matter receives the attention it deserves,” said Woodard. “The partnerships the National Park Service has with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District and our Dare County Board of Commissioners have played an essential role in pushing for a comprehensive remediation of the site.”

Woodard said he believes that the collaborative approach taken by these groups and agencies has strengthened the collective ability to address the challenges posed by the contamination and that it will help ensure that the necessary measures are implemented to protect both the people of Dare County and its natural resources.

“As cleanup efforts begin, my hope is that the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is true to his words and that we are finally on a path to the long overdue complete remediation of the Buxton FUDS,” Woodard added.

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