Oil spill cleanup continues in two states, with 65 tons of oily sand, debris removed

As of late Tuesday, cleanup crews had removed about 65 tons of oily debris and sand from the roughly 60 miles of coastline from Bowers Beach in northern Delaware to Ocean City, Maryland.

Oily material has continued to spread along the coast from an oil spill discovered in the Delaware Bay early last week, according to a news release from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

Cleanup crews of over 100 personnel have been combing beaches for over a week looking for globs of oil, known as tar balls. The oil has been broken into smaller and smaller pieces by the waves and tide; most pieces are coin-sized to pancake-sized and must be picked up manually. 

"At this point in the response, we're critically examining our resources, looking at the big picture and seeing where the greatest needs lie," said Lt. Cmdr. Fredrick Pugh, federal incident commander for the response.

Crews have surveyed the affected area by land, sea and air, and continue to assess the situation, the release states. Officials do not believe there is an ongoing or undiscovered patch of oil out in the bay or ocean.

Related:Delaware Bay oil spill: How to clean oil off people and pets

Photos:Oil spill washes ashore at Delaware beaches, captured in these photos

As Tropical Storm Zeta is likely to make working conditions difficult later this week, the cleanup operation may stop temporarily while the storm passes, the release states. It will resume over the weekend and continue into next week.

The Coast Guard is still investigating the source of the oil and "has not ruled out any possible sources," the release states. If a source is identified, the culprit will be required to reimburse the federal government for the cost of the cleanup.

The public is asked to continue reporting any findings of oil patties or oiled wildlife, and is instructed not to try to pick up the oil themselves.

Background:Estimated 215 gallons of oil wash ashore at Delaware's Broadkill Beach: DNREC

The towns of Lewes, Dewey Beach and Bethany Beach have closed their beaches until further notice, and on beaches that may still be open, the DNREC release "strongly advises" beachgoers to stay out of the water and the wrack line, where oily debris is deposited by each high tide.

For reports concerning the Delaware coastline, call DNREC's environmental hotline at 800-662-8802. For reports concerning the Maryland coastline, call the Maryland Department of the Environment at 866-633-4686.

Environmental watchdog reporter Julia Rentsch can be reached at jrentsch@delmarvanow.com.