The Buxton Civic Association (BCA) held its monthly public meeting on Thursday, July 11, urging attendees to continue demanding action for Buxton Beach.

The meeting was a call to maintain momentum in the community’s efforts to address environmental and public safety issues.

Renewed Call to Action

In March, the BCA launched an initial email and letter-writing campaign. Now, they hope for a second wave of letters, emails, phone calls, and social media posts. This effort aims to pressure legislators and agencies to clean up a 500-yard stretch of Buxton shoreline.

Board Members Speak Out

BCA Board Members Heather Gray Jennette, Brian Harris, and Wendi Munden addressed the attendees. “When this all first started, what really got things going was getting people sick of hearing from you,” said Jennette. “Hearing from a community and letting them know that ‘you might have forgotten, but we haven’t’ is going to be what generates faster action.”

Hurricanes and Hazards

A small section of Buxton Beach has been closed since September 2023. Two offshore hurricanes exposed abandoned infrastructure from a former military base and caused occasional petroleum smells. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the U.S. Coast Guard are responsible for the clean-up. The petroleum contamination falls under the Corps’ Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) program.

Community Outcry and Agency Response

In February and March, a big community outcry gained local and national attention. Several public meetings were held in the spring, fostering better communication between the Corps and the community. The Corps is working on forming a Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) to maintain this communication.

Slow Progress

The Corps removed an exposed 80-foot-long pipe in May, believed to be a petroleum source. Soil sampling followed, but results are pending. The National Park Service conducted independent tests, which showed contamination still above state levels.

Continued Testing

From June 24-28, the Corps conducted geophysical work to identify potential underground fuel components. “Identifying the anomalies can assist us in determining what areas we need to conduct soil sampling,” said Cheri Pritchard, Media Relations Chief for the Corps’ Savannah District.

Need for Continued Advocacy

Heather Gray Jennette emphasized the need for continued advocacy. “Our next action item is to make some noise again,” she said. Hatteras Island County Commissioner Danny Couch echoed this sentiment, highlighting the importance of public pressure.

Get Involved

The BCA encourages the community to join their efforts. They provided an email contact list and draft letters to simplify participation.

For more information and to get involved:

• Visit the BCA website at BuxtonCivic.com
• Follow the BCA on Facebook
• Participate in the letter-writing campaign

The Buxton Civic Association meets the first Thursday of every month at the old Buxton Volunteer Fire Department building beside Burrus Field. Despite the environmental issues, the closure affects only three-tenths of a mile of the 75-mile National Seashore. The public can still visit and enjoy Buxton and Hatteras Island. Addressing this issue now is crucial to prevent it from becoming a larger problem.