LI Oil Spill Cleanup Finished; Now Searching for Source

ATLANTIC BEACH, N.Y. (1010 WINS) -- The Coast Guard says it has turned its attention to finding the source of an oil spill after cleaning up several miles of Long Island beaches.

The Coast Guard says about 24 cubic yards of oil and contaminated sand was removed from stretches of Atlantic Beach and Long Beach by about 12:45 p.m. Saturday.

An estimated 500 gallons of oil washed up along the shore. Surfers reported it around 11 a.m. Thursday.

The Coast Guard is collecting oil samples from ships that passed through the area. The samples will be compared to the tar-ball-like blobs on the beaches.

State Department of Environmental Conservation spokesman Bill Fonda says there's no sign the oil dispersed into the water or harmed wildlife.

1010 WINS Boroughs & 'Burbs: Long Island

(TM & © 2007 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO & EYE Logo TM & © 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. In the interest of timeliness, this story is fed directly from the newswire and may contain occasional typographical errors. )