NORTH CAROLINA, USA — Officials with Cape Hatteras National Seashore are inviting the Outer Banks community to discuss efforts to clean up petroleum contamination at Buxton Beach.
A community event was held Wednesday night at the Fessenden Center in Buxton, North Carolina, starting at 6 p.m. and expected to end at 7 p.m.
The discussion comes after officials closed another part of the beach on Sunday because of “petroleum odors and a sheen on the ocean water." The Buxton Beach Access near the end of Lighthouse Road is now closed.
Locals like Kara Eakes who runs Red Drum Tackle Shop say business has been affected because of the contamination issues at the southern end of the beach.
"The closures and contamination as far as people walking and enjoying the beach,” Eakes said.
Seashore staff observed the sheen and the odor near a former Navy and Coast Guard facility where two-tenths of a mile of beach in front of the former military site had been closed since September 2023.
As a result of Sunday’s expanded closure, a three-tenths of a mile section is now closed from the southernmost beachfront home in Buxton to the first jetty.
Other business owners like Scott Busby just want the issue solved before the summer begins.
"It hasn't affected business but they should just do their job and get it out," Busby said.
Health advisory issued in Dare County
On Monday, the Dare County Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) announced they, North Carolina's DHHS and Cape Hatteras National Seashore are issuing a "Precautionary Public Health Advisory."
They claim the health advisory is due to impacts from "petroleum contaminated soils likely exposed by beach erosion near the former site of Naval Facility Cape Hatteras and Coast Guard Group Cape Hatteras in Buxton."
The health department said the first public health advisory was issued on September 1, 2023, and several more soil samples have been taken since then. The tests found that the soil contained light fuel oil, lubricating oil, petroleum hydrocarbons, and non-petroleum contamination.
The Dare County DHHS recommends avoiding swimming, wading, or fishing in the Buxton area from around 46285 Old Lighthouse Road to/and including the first jetty.
Symptoms people could experience include headache, nausea, and skin irritation.
They also recommend you thoroughly wash any skin that comes in contact with the contaminated sediment or water with soap.
Those with drinking wells near the impacted area are recommended to test their water. They can do so by contacting Dare County DHHS by calling 252-475-5088.