I'm going with the NSF "eviction" theory but this Facebook post has lots of local residents' stories & it is still mind boggling they would segregate residents from pets & personal belongings for an indefinite period.
[link to m.facebook.com (secure)]

Also reading the local scuttlebut, there was very few people actively working at the site & almost no science going on, though this is contradicted by earlier claims.

The university people talk like the state was buying the site, but they also seem clueless about this environmental impact hearing last February that closed taking comments the following March.

You'd think all stakeholders would be involved in any site review, including locals in the area. So it's an open question what the NSF decided re the 4 options they were considering.

Admittedly the secrecy & hardship to local residents being told to abandon even pets reeks of some deeper conspiracy, my guess some kind of solar/climate doom. Helluva story!