The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is taking comments through May 15 on proposed changes to the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Five-Year Program. The draft supplemental environmental impact statement analyzes potential impacts from new air quality modeling and may be used to make final decisions about Lease Sales 250 and 251 scheduled for 2018. Public meetings are scheduled April 25 in New Orleans; April 27 in Houston; May 1 in Pensacola, FL; May 2 in Mobile, AL; and May 3 in Gulfport, MS. Locations and meeting times are included in the Federal Register notice. Comments may be submitted via BOEM’s website or to Greg Kozlowski, Deputy Regional Supervisor, Office of Environment (GM 623E), BOEM, GOM OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70123-2394.

A crude oil leak discovered from an undersea pipeline operated by Hilcorp Alaska in the Cook Inlet has been stopped, the company said Monday. “All oil has been removed from the pipeline and there is no indication of any further release,” the company said. The leak was discovered after workers on the Ana Platform felt an impact from an unknown source and then saw oil sheen on the water. Hilcorp said Monday that it calculated the spill to be less than three gallons of oil. No harm to wildlife has been observed, the company said, adding that repairs to the pipeline would begin as soon as possible. Hilcorp has been dealing with a leak from one of its natural gas pipelines in the Cook Inlet as well. “It has been less than a week since Hilcorp agreed to temporarily shut down oil and gas production as part of its response to a leaking gas supply line. Now, Hilcorp has reported a separate leaking oil line — which is significantly more harmful than natural gas. I am deeply concerned about the potential impact to the environment,” Gov. Bill Walker said in a statement following discovery of the oil leak.