National Park Service officials shut down a portion of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina after erosion revealed petroleum, metal fragments and cables.
Three-tenths of a mile of the seashore was first closed off in September 2023 after soil samples of the beach near the Buxton Beach Access tested positive for petroleum contamination.
On Thursday, a quarter mile was closed off after erosion exposed more pollutants in the area related to the Buxton Formerly Used Defense Site. The Navy operated a facility on the seashore from 1956 to 1982, with the Coast Guard using the space from 1984 to 2010.
Several feet of sand were washed away at the Buxton Beach Access this week, exposing petroleum-contaminated sand, soil and groundwater to the beachfront during low tides and to the waves at high tides, NPS officials said in a release Thursday.
The latest erosion also exposed remnants of military infrastructure, including rebar, metal pipes, metal fragments, concrete, wires, cables and PVC pipes.
People who entered the water in the area reported nausea, headaches and irritated skin following their activities, per an advisory from the Dare County Department of Health & Human Services.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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