Dare County leaders, volunteers press Corps and federal lawmakers for full cleanup after Buxton storm damage

Several public commenters and county leaders told the Dare County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 3 that Buxton’s shoreline and the former defense site (FUDS) were in urgent need of a complete cleanup after Hurricane Aaron uncovered buried materials and damaged shoreline stabilization features.

Resident Carol Dillon told the board “Buxton is in crisis,” saying a large hole in the jetty has accelerated currents and erosion that now threatens homes, Highway 12 and tourism. Dillon urged the board to press state and federal partners for a permanent fix and identified scuttled ships, reef balls and other hardened structures as options previously used elsewhere.

Brett Arley, speaking for the Buxton Civic Association, thanked county staff for debris dumpsters and on-site visits and said volunteers had cleared large amounts of material. He said ocean water from the storm was pushed “about a thousand feet inland” in parts of Buxton and that local communications and power interruptions compounded residents’ challenges.

Following public comment, County leaders reported several parallel responses. The county manager and chairman said they had met with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and written to members of Congress and U.S. senators to accelerate the Corps’ work. Representative Greg Murphy responded promptly, the board said, and Corps staff visited Buxton to evaluate the site.

At the meeting the board authorized the county to contract for removal of remaining debris at a not-to-exceed cost of $72,975, using the county’s storm-response fund. County staff told commissioners a contractor inspected the roads and debris piles and proposed a contract that included a minimum charge of $55,995 and a possible maximum near $72,975 depending on final scope. Commissioners approved the authorization unanimously.

Commissioners and staff emphasized that much of the initial heavy work was done by volunteers and by National Park Service crews that cleared the most hazardous materials after the storm. Commissioners said local cleanup efforts will continue while the county pushes for a comprehensive federal remediation at the Buxton FUDS.

The board asked staff to coordinate the county’s next steps with Corps personnel and congressional staff and to notify affected residents about any required staged collection dates if property-level debris must be consolidated for pickup.

Ending: County leaders said Buxton cleanup will proceed on two tracks: immediate debris removal funded by the county’s storm account and continued advocacy with Corps and federal lawmakers for a broader, permanent remediation of the FUDS site and jetty stabilization. Commissioners asked staff to keep the board and the public informed as the Corps’ plan develops.