The Obama administration moved for the first time Friday to stop energy companies from releasing unwanted natural gas from oil wells drilled on federal lands, a practice that environmentalists say contributes to global warming. The draft rule is seen as a precursor to restrictions that could be imposed on existing oil and gas wells on private lands, and comes as the industry suffers through a contraction caused by plummeting crude prices. The Interior Department proposal, released Friday, would require energy companies to plug accidental leaks of natural gas and scale back the practice of intentionally venting or burning the gas as they extract more profitable crude oil. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said the proposal was essential to curbing the waste of taxpayer-owned natural gas extracted from federal and tribal land. “Most people would agree that we should be using our nation’s natural gas to power our economy — not […]