The state of Maryland has joined the First State and the U.S Coast Guard in oil cleanup efforts.
Officials confirm tar balls from last week’s oil spill have now washed ashore as far south as Ocean City.
Cleanup crews now report 65 tons of oily debris have been cleaned up at sites ranging between Ocean City and as far north as Bowers Beach.
The source and size of the spill have yet to be determined.
But crews surveying the coast say the original spill is likely being broken into smaller pieces by the waves and tide, and there is not likely an undiscovered patch of oil.
And the Coast Guard’s effort to analyze oil samples is ongoing. If the source of the spill is determined, the responsible party would be required to reimburse the federal government for the cleanup.
DNREC officials say the state is communicating with the Army Corps of Engineers to make sure the oil is cleaned up at South Bethany Beach ahead of a planned beach replenishment project there.
Cleanup efforts may be suspended for a time later this week as a result of Tropical Storm Zeta.
The beaches in Lewes, Dewey Beach and Bethany Beach remain closed until further notice—as does the 4-wheel drive surf fishing crossing at Delaware Beach Plum Island Preserve.
