A Utah rancher is speaking out against the administration’s devastating climate change and conservation efforts as his family’s livelihood could be upended due to President Biden’s national monument designation.

Chris Heaton, a Kanab City, Utah Council member and rancher, discussed how the impact of Biden’s plans for a national monument, Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni, have put his private water rights in jeopardy. 

“I have 40,000 plus acres of federal and state land that I lease from the federal and the state of Arizona, and that is impacted,” Heaton told FOX Business’ “The Bottom Line” Tuesday.

“With that land, we own private water rights that are definitely affected, and they’re [the government] not addressing how those private water rights would be affected by this monument,” he continued.

On Tuesday, the president signed a proclamation establishing the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument in Arizona, his fifth national monument since taking office.

“They’re shoving it down our throats,” Heaton said.

The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

BIDEN ROCKED FOR GRAND CANYON GAFFE: ‘HE’S CLUELESS‘

A strip of land in Arizona just north of the Colorado River has been in Heaton’s family since the late 1800s. 

Heaton explained that all the wildlife and livestock is “watered by stock ponds, springs and wells that are owned and maintained by the ranchers.”

He argued that the Biden administration could “harm” the environment and wildlife in the area if they “get rid of the water sources” to cater to the protection of the grounds included in the monument.

“There’s no management. There’s nothing in place,” Heaton explained when expressing his frustration with the government’s actions.

BIDEN RIPPED FOR LATEST ‘LAND GRAB’ BLOCKING KEY ENERGY, AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT

On Monday, White House Counsel Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory told reporters that Biden is taking steps to ensure that the Grand Canyon “will stay pristine for generations,” and that he is “doing so in a way that recognizes this and supports the importance of hunting and fishing in the area, protects existing grazing permits and leases and fully protects private property rights.” 

“They’re [the government] telling us we’re going to like it, but they’re not telling us what it will do and how it will help or hurt us,” Heaton told hosts Dagen McDowell and Sean Duffy.

Ahead of Biden’s trip to Arizona Tuesday, the government displayed three maps of the proposed monument that included private land owned by Heaton’s family.

“We actually did find out today [Tuesday] that the private land was excluded,” Heaton said.

But despite the government’s last-minute change to what land will be included in the monument, Heaton described the administration’s efforts as an “attack on private businesses.”

“They’re attacking us,” he stressed.

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Fox News’ Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

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U.S. mortgage rates soared to the highest level in nine months this week following the surprise decision by Fitch Ratings to downgrade the nation’s credit score.

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported on Wednesday that the average rate on the 30-year loan climbed to 7.09% from 6.93% the previous week, the highest level since November 2022. 

“Treasury yields rates rose last week and mortgage rates followed suit, due to a combination of the Treasury’s funding announcement and the downgrading of the U.S. government debt rating,” said Joel Kan, MBA’s deputy chief economist. “Rates increased for all loan types in our survey.”

CREDIT CARD DEBT RISING IN DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD FOR THE ECONOMY

The steeper rates weighed heavily on mortgage demand, with a key measure of home-purchase applications tumbling 3.1% last week to the lowest level since February.

Demand for refinancing also continued to decline last week, sliding another 4%, according to the survey. Compared with the same time last year, refinance applications are down a stunning 37%.

“Not surprisingly, mortgage applications continued to decline given these higher rates, with overall application counts falling for the third consecutive week, as both purchase and refinance activity declined,” Kan said.

The interest rate-sensitive housing market has cooled rapidly in the wake of the Federal Reserve’s aggressive tightening campaign. Policymakers already lifted the benchmark federal funds rate 11 consecutive times as they try to crush stubborn inflation and slow the economy. 

A FED PAUSE LIKELY WON’T HELP STRUGGLING CONSUMERS

The move by Fitch last week to cut its U.S. debt grade from the highest AAA rating to AA+ on concerns over the country’s bloated national debt has only exacerbated troubles within the housing market. The downgrade pushed the 10-year Treasury yield – which underpins mortgage rates – to the highest level in a year.

Not only are higher mortgage rates dampening consumer demand, they are limiting inventory.

That is because sellers who locked in a low mortgage rate before the pandemic began have been reluctant to sell with rates continuing to hover near a two-decade-high, leaving few options for eager would-be buyers.

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“The purchase index fell for the fourth consecutive week, as homebuyers continue to struggle with low for-sale inventory and elevated mortgage rates,” Kan added.

A recent report from Realtor.com showed that the number of available homes on the market in June was down more than 47% from the typical amount before the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020.

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