The government illegally closed this land due to a frivolous lawsuit filed by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. The so-called endangered cactus species in question has never grown in the area used by the OHV community. The BLM was happy with the emergency closure because it got to take the taxpayers' land from them and gain more control.

The editorial writers at The Tribune need to take a course in journalistic integrity. They chastised the BLM plan with the slanted view of the environmentalists, and this was done without getting input from the OHV community ("No management plan: BLM makes gift of land to off-roaders, drillers," Our View, Aug. 12). The fact is, Factory Butte does not meet the wilderness designation. This is another issue where the government and environmentalists say it, so don't ask questions.

The government took our land, and it is now giving most of it back, but it is closing roughly 20 percent to public use - and we're supposed to be happy?

Larry Kuehn

Sandy