BUXTON, N.C. — Impacts from Hurricane Erin were seen across the Outer Banks, including at the former Buxton Naval Facility, a Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) property.
On Thursday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Savannah District team made its way back to the Buxton FUDS property at Cape Hatteras National Seashore in Dare County to assess Erin's impact, an official with USACE said.
He says that the storm left the FUDS property with "widespread deterioration."
This comes during USACE's ongoing efforts to address the petroleum presence at the site.
Watch previous coverage: Army Corps of Engineers mobilizing in response to recent petroleum presence in Buxton
"A noticeable amount of...the petroleum-impacted soil is now located closer to the ocean, and underground soils are being disturbed by wave action and releasing petroleum vapors," the USACE official detailed. "No visible sheen has been seen on the water."
The USACE team is developing a plan to tackle the deterioration, while facing challenges, including flooding, debris and a downed power line, which are limiting accessibility to the site, the official said.
The team plans to "conduct limited containment and removal of the visibly contaminated soils," the official said. They will monitor the property throughout the weekend.
