Inside Report (3)

How would you feel if powerful forces were about to start digging in your backyard -- and you seemed to have no say about it. That's how the Western states have felt at times as they looked at the coming synthetic fuels boom.

The "synfuels" idea includes converting coal and oil shale to liquid fuels. But the West wonders what that could do to their environment and life styles.

President Carter has been chided by many Western Democrats for not being more understanding. Now he may have another chance to ease these worries.

Western governors are pushing for regular periodic meetings with federal Cabinet members and the chairman of the new Synthetic Fuels Corporation, which will soon begin pumping $20 billion into synfuels. Carter could help his standing in the West by cooperating with the governors' request.m