OGDENSBURG -- $5 million is being sought to replace the failing lead-based paint protection on the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge.

New York’s U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, both Democrats, said they are initiating a push to secure a $5 million federal grant to prevent corrosion of the bridge, which is a major point of entry and commerce for the North Country.

A press release from the senators said that the present system is not only failing, but posing hazard to area ecosystems as the lead-based paint flakes off. Schumer and Gillibrand said a more environmentally friendly and substantial zinc-based paint would not only present fewer threats to area ecosystems but also help ensure the bridge is capable of supporting the international economic activity upon which the North Country heavily relies.

They said this funding would allow the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority to ensure the protection new paint would provide.

“The Ogdensburg-Prescott Bridge is a critical artery to cross-border commerce and is the lifeblood of Northern New York’s regional economy – but the bridge’s infrastructure needs an upgrade now,” Schumer said.

“This is a major investment that would help strengthen our transportation infrastructure here in the North Country,” said Gillibrand. “The Ogdensburg-Prescott Bridge is an important economic anchor in the region and it is critical to remove any potential environmental hazards.” She said the grant would “help keep the tax burden off of local families.”

Earlier this month the North Country Regional Economic Development Council endorsed a resolution in support of the rehabilitation of the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge. See that story here.