LEE ZELDIN: Why we're shutting down Biden's EPA museum

The mission to identify waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars spent in the name of pet projects that bolster "environmental justice" or climate change fanaticism has resulted in a long list of atrocious spending amounting to over $22 billion by the Biden administration that I have since terminated for immediate savings. 

As part of our continued commitment to transparency and responsible spending, the latest efficiency I have identified is the closure of the Biden administration’s scarcely visited Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) museum. This cost a whopping $4 million taxpayer dollars to build in accordance with Smithsonian standards and more than $600,000 annually to operate. 

The museum itself is about the size of an apartment, at barely 1,600 square feet, tucked inside the ground floor of EPA headquarters in Washington, D.C. It had less than 2,000 external visitors between May 2024-February 2025. To put that in perspective, even the lowest visited Smithsonian Museum has eight times the visitors in a one-year period.

Former President Joe Biden and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin (Getty Images)

The millions of dollars spent to build this one-room, little-trafficked, so-called "museum" inside EPA with hundreds of thousands of dollars in operational costs annually is yet another example of waste by the Biden administration that could have been spent on providing clean air, land and water to forgotten communities.

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EPA staff amounted to more than 40% of visitors and while the museum was free, the cost to taxpayers per external visitor amounted to nearly $315 per person. 

Other annual costs at the expense of the American taxpayer included more than $123,000 on cleaning and landscaping, more than $207,000 for security guards, $54,000 on magnetometer and X-ray maintenance, more than $54,000 on storage, and nearly $40,000 for maintenance of AV equipment. 

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This museum exemplifies a broader pattern we've uncovered – resources being diverted from the agency’s core mission to fund initiatives that advance partisan ideologies under the guise of environmental stewardship. Imagine the progress EPA could have made by funding the replacement of lead pipes, or cleanup of superfund sites languishing on the National Priorities List, or state and local efforts to boost air monitoring and other efforts to improve air quality.

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While you may expect the history of the agency – which was started under President Richard Nixon – and its mission of protecting human health and the environment to be nonpartisan, the Biden administration chose to curate the museum with a massive gap of recognition between 2014 and Jan. 20, 2021. There is also a higher priority placed on Democrat administrations’ work compared to Republican administrations. 

Biden’s EPA favored the incorporation of a slew of "environmental justice" and climate change content to proliferate the fearmongering tactics of the radical left instead of focusing on the statutory work EPA does daily to deliver clean air, land and water to Americans. 

The EPA was started under Republican President Richard Nixon. (Reuters/Jean-Claude Delmas)

One exhibit on "Today’s EPA," reads, "The EPA protects human heath and the environment by developing and carrying out economic protections; advancing environmental justice, equity, and civil rights compliance…" Another touts the Biden EPA’s establishment of an EJ office, EJ programs, and their Journey to Justice Tour. 

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There is no mention of the significant accomplishments of the first Trump EPA, including a drop in combined emissions of criteria pollutants and their precursors, the first ever comprehensive nationwide action plan to address PFAS, or the first update to the Lead and Copper Rule in nearly 30 years. 

I’d bet the record-breaking emergency response to the catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles thanks to the leadership of President Donald Trump would never earn a moment in the spotlight. The largest wildfire hazardous materials cleanup in the history of the EPA was projected to take months but was finished in 28 days. 

President Biden's EPA museum cost a whopping $4 million taxpayer dollars to build and more than $600,000 annually to operate. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

These are the accomplishments that should be celebrated – not through expensive museum exhibits paid for by taxpayers, but through cleaner communities and healthier citizens. 

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The foundation of effective environmental stewardship isn't found in self-congratulatory displays or ideologically driven initiatives, it's built through practical, cost-effective programs that deliver measurable improvements to environmental quality and human health. The Biden administration lost sight of these fundamental principles and diverted taxpayer resources to serve political narratives. 

Under President Trump’s leadership, our new direction is clear. Every taxpayer dollar spent must be justified, every program must demonstrate value, and every initiative must contribute directly to our core mission. The museum closure represents just one step in our broader commitment to transparency and fiscal responsibility. 

Rep. Elise Stefanik and forme Rep. Lee Zeldin join former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally on Jan. 19, 2024, in Concord, New Hampshire. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

We are committed to being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. So far, our review and termination of wasteful programs has resulted in $22 billion in taxpayer savings. 

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By eliminating wasteful spending and refocusing on providing clean air, land and water for all Americans, we're strengthening our ability to address environmental challenges. The museum's closure will save $600,000 annually – money that could support programs to deliver real environmental benefits to forgotten communities. 

This isn't about diminishing our commitment to environmental protection; it's about enhancing it through responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. The days of unchecked spending on monuments to the egos of the Left are over. Under our leadership, fiscal responsibility and mission focus will guide every decision. The American people deserve nothing less.

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