Army Corps of Engineers District Commander set to provide Buxton FUDS update at Dare County meeting
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers posted the following press release on Friday, August 2, regarding a roughly 500-yard section of Buxton Beach which has been closed to the public since two offshore hurricanes brushed the Outer Banks in September 2023. The back-to-back storms, (Franklin and Idalia), resulted in heightened erosion, exposed infrastructure from the site’s former military activities, as well as occasional petroleum smells.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District Commander, Col. Ron Sturgeon, is set to provide an update about the Buxton Naval Facility, a Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) property located within Cape Hatteras National Seashore, during the Dare County Board of Commissioners monthly meeting in Manteo, Sept. 3, 2024, at 9 a.m.
Currently, the FUDS team is reviewing the draft report which is an analysis of the pipe removal and soil sampling collected May 13-14, 2024. The samples were sent to a laboratory for processing, and from there, the data was uploaded into the analytical laboratory database system. District experts are required to review and evaluate the draft report, sharing it with agency stakeholders for their input, before it can be finalized and posted to the District’s public-facing website.
Additionally, the data from the geophysical work accomplished June 24-28 is expected to be received within the next few weeks. That data must also go through the same evaluation process before a report can be finalized and shared on the District website.
“We recognize our processes are lengthy and understand why it’s caused some doubt and frustration,” said Sturgeon. “I want to assure the community our FUDS team is diligently working toward finalizing the reports so we can share this information. Also, regardless of the final results, we are still committed to moving forward in determining the extent of possible petroleum contamination at the FUDS property.”
The results from the soil sampling and the geophysical work can assist in developing the scope for the comprehensive soil and groundwater sampling plan, which will be used to determine the nature and magnitude of any possible petroleum contamination within the project area. The Savannah District anticipates the contract will be awarded in October 2024 and sampling will begin later in the year.
The Public Involvement contract is expected to be awarded in September 2024. Once that contract is in place, the team anticipates having the first public meeting in mid-October or early November 2024 to determine interest in creating a Restoration Advisory Board. The exact date of the first meeting depends on contract timelines and coordination with local, state, and federal partners.
