OGDENSBURG -- The Department of Homeland Security is now in favor of a pilot project for an Ogdensburg-Prescott ferry, according to Rep. Elise Stefanik's office.

A study is planned for the fall with the pilot project starting next year, Stefanik's office said.

The project was in jeopardy. In June, Ogdensburg City Manager Sarah Purdy said that DOH was going to require Ogdensburg to spend about $10 million for the facilities and equipment they would need.

Prescott Mayor Brett Todd at the same time said Canada Border Services Agency would provide the same service for no additional charge.

A news release from Stefanik's office did not say how much money, if any, Ogdensburg will be required to spend to make the project happen.

“I’m thrilled to hear that my push for this cross-border pedestrian and bicycle ferry has come to fruition,” Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, said in a prepared statement. “This project will increase tourism between Canada and the North Country, which will in turn bolster our economy. I was glad to work with U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials and state and local elected officials to deliver this huge result for my district.”

“A few years ago, when Ontario Senator Robert Runciman and I brought together U.S. and Canadian leaders from Cornwall to Cape Vincent as part of our International Border Caucus, we talked about the Prescott-Ogdensburg pedestrian ferry as a way to strengthen relationships between communities along our shared border,” State Senator Patty Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, said in a prepared statement from Stefanik's office. “I want to thank Congresswoman Stefanik for helping us convince U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials to establish trial runs for the ferry next summer. This important next step in the effort to launch a pedestrian ferry would not have been possible without her support.”

“As Mayor of Ogdensburg, I have worked hard to rebuild Ogdensburg’s historic ties to Prescott by working closely with Congresswoman Stefanik and Canadian officials on projects like the bicycle and pedestrian ferry that will help put our communities on the international tourism map,” Ogdensburg Mayor Wayne Ashley said in a prepared statement from Stefanik's office. “I want to thank Congresswoman Stefanik, Prescott Mayor Brett Todd and State Senator Patty Ritchie for their tireless efforts on our behalf.”

“This is tremendous news for the City of Ogdensburg, the Town of Prescott and the entire region," Assemblyman Mark Walczyk, R-Watertown, said in a prepared statement from Stefanik's office. "The ferry pilot project will no doubt have a drastic, positive impact on the regional economy. I'd like to personally thank Congresswoman Stefanik, Senator Ritchie, MPP Steve Clark, MP Michael Barrett, U.S. Customs officials and the countless others that fought tirelessly for this project. This will go a long way toward keeping the Ogdensburg economy thriving, ensuring that the region remains a great place to live, work and raise a family for years to come.”

"I want to thank Congresswoman Stefanik for her personal efforts on behalf of the Ogdensburg-Prescott ferry," Prescott, Ont. Mayor Brett Todd said in a prepared statement from Stefanik's office. "When we began the effort to bring back the ferry here in Prescott alongside key allies like former Canadian Senator Bob Runciman, we knew we would need international cooperation from U.S. officials like Elise and Senator Ritchie to make it happen."