BUXTON, N.C. (WITN) - The Cape Hatteras National Seashore has closed a section of beach in Buxton again after officials say beach erosion has exposed dangerous chemicals, WITN reports.
The National Park Service says a three-tenths-of-a-mile section of shoreline near the Buxton Formerly Used Defense Site is closed due to the presence of petroleum odors and light sheens.
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The closure goes from the southern boundary of Buxton Village to the southernmost groin located at Old Lighthouse Beach. This is the same stretch of beach that just reopened to the public this June after being closed back in September 2023.
National Park Service staff say that over the last 24 hours, several feet of sand have been washed away, exposing the contaminated soils that remain at the site.
The Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, and the Coast Guard’s National Response Center have been notified of the petroleum contamination, according to officials.
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