Smithsonian donation rescinded

WASHINGTON (AP) — The American Petroleum Institute has withdrawn a planned $5 million donation to the new Ocean Hall at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

Paul Risser, acting director of the museum, expressed disappointment at the action Friday, commenting, "I thought we had a chance to work together and do something really quite good."

He said the API did not state a reason for the decision in its letter withdrawing the offer.

API spokeswoman Karen Matusic said that "since API was first approached by the Smithsonian Institution seeking additional funding support, circumstances within the Smithsonian have changed. Accordingly we have decided to withdraw our offer of a $5 million gift for the new Ocean Portal."

The rest of the $62 million project is funded, and it is scheduled to open in September 2008, Risser said.

The API donation was to be used for an Ocean Portal Web site, which is now not funded. Risser said he will seek new funding for the Web site.

A decision on accepting the oil industry money had been postponed earlier this month when two members of the Smithsonian's board of regents raised concerns about accepting money from the oil industry for an exhibit on the oceans.

Questions about accepting the oil money were raised by Roger Sant, a major contributor to the ocean project, and Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, D-Vt.

The board was scheduled to vote on accepting the $5 million Monday, but instead received a letter from API saying it was withdrawing the gift.