BOULDER, Colo. - A new report from the University of Colorado calls on Westerners to stop demonizing the energy industry and start conserving as the nation increasingly turns to the region for its fuels.

The report, which also praises the government's energy plan, was issued Tuesday by the Center of the American West, a university policy center that addresses key Western issues.

It was released as federal and state officials held their first meeting on finding ways to streamline environmental approvals and speed up energy production on public land in the West.

Representatives of the governors of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico and of several federal agencies met in Denver to discuss a possible task force to remove obstacles to energy production on public land. The meeting was closed to the public.

The Rocky Mountain region contains about 31 percent of the country's known coal reserves, 41 percent of the known and estimated natural gas reserves and 30 percent of the oil reserves in the lower 48 states.

"We are really this treasure chest of fossil fuels," said Michael Hannigan, a researcher with CU's mechanical engineering department and one of the report's authors.

While stressing the need for conservation, the report also supports parts of the Bush administration's energy plan, assailed by critics as tailored to suit the industry.

Patricia Limerick, a history and environmental studies professor who heads the center, said she expected that section of the report to "surprise a lot of people, especially in Boulder, Colo."

Limerick said the center tries to acknowledge the complexities of Western issues but is probably associated with Boulder's reputation for liberal politics.

She said she had preconceptions about the plan but was surprised she agreed with several sections stressing the need for conservation, a long-term energy strategy and acknowledging that U.S. supplies of oil and natural gas are limited.

The report, "What Every Westerner Should Know About Energy," also says it is hypocritical to condemn energy companies because of the region's heavy dependence on fossil fuels for agriculture, transportation and other activities.

"I moved here to Colorado because I like the open spaces, but I also like to get to open spaces," Hannigan said.

Peter Dea, president and chief executive officer of Denver-based Western Gas Resources Inc., said if natural gas drilling is limited, the country will have to import more oil.

The report recommends stepped-up conservation and energy prices that reflect the full cost of production. Advocates of such renewable energy sources as wind and solar need to recognize that those facilities also take up space that some would rather see left undeveloped, the report said.

Limerick said Westerners need to become more informed and responsible for decisions on energy development because the region's role in meeting the country's energy needs is growing.

The report could be useful in shaping policy, said Claudia Putnam, spokeswoman for the Land and Water Fund of the Rockies, a Boulder-based environmental group.

"We do need to look at how we can take responsibility as citizens," Putnam said. "But I also think there are huge impediments to renewable energy that need to be overcome.

"And I do think industry has resisted progressive changes," she added.

Mike Chiropolos, a program director of the Law and Water Fund, said he doesn't oppose the Bush administration's move to streamline approval of oil and gas projects on public lands, but wildlife and the environment need to be protected.

"Our beef's not with industry. The industry is trying to make a buck," he said. "The regulators need to step up to the plate."

Josh Freed, spokesman for Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., said the congresswoman agrees that gas development in the West is important but doesn't believe environmental laws are impeding it.

"Major federal policy that impacts energy exploration and land management should not be decided behind closed doors without adequate public notification and citizen involvement," Freed said.

Dana Perino, spokeswoman for the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said it isn't unusual for government employees to meet privately. She said if officials decide to form a task force, their goal is to hold a public meeting before year's end.

"The goal is not to subvert environmental laws," Perino said.