Oil Spill Investigation Continues; Cleanup “Substantially Cleared”

Delaware’s beaches have been declared substantially cleared of oil after last month’s spill in the Delaware Bay. However, cleanup crews will respond to further oiling and shoreline monitoring will still take place. The cleanup began October 19 after oil began impacting the Delaware shoreline from Fowler Beach south and along the Atlantic coast beaches from Cape Henlopen to Assateague Island State Park in Maryland. About 85 tons of oily debris was removed during the spill response and taken to a special landfill designed for petroleum-contaminated material. The origin of the spill is under investigation by the US Coast Guard and the Marine Safety Lab in Connecticut. If you spot any sizable sightings of oil or oily debris or oiled wildlife – contact DNREC’s environmental hotline – 800-662-8802.