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Popular stretch of Cape Hatteras National Seashore reopens after cleanup

Last September the beach near the former military site was closed after erosion from storms exposed potentially hazardous infrastructure from the old bases, and last month seashore staff noticed a strong smell of petroleum products. The sheen on the water was also seen near the beach access.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
File: The beach near the former military site was closed after erosion from storms exposed potentially hazardous infrastructure from the old bases, and last month seashore staff noticed a strong smell of petroleum products. The sheen on the water was also seen near the beach access.

A popular stretch of Cape Hatteras National Seashore is open once again just ahead of the holiday weekend.

Park officials reopened more than a mile of beach in Buxton following a soil testing and cleanup effort by the Army Corps of Engineers and health officials. The massive beach cleanup was required to eliminate severe public health and environmental hazards caused by historical military pollution and collapsing oceanfront homes.

While the sand is open, the lifeguarded beach parking lot remains closed for a few more days while contractors remove a large amount of house collapse debris collected over the past nine months. Visitors are urged to park at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and walk north.

Meanwhile, the beach directly in front of Buxton Village remains closed due to threatened oceanfront structures.

Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.