OGDENSBURG — St. Lawrence County has to find a use for a large tract of land envisioned to support a nearby lumber operation that pulled up stakes in January.

The first hurdle is finding out if any of the 257 acres on Arnold Wagner Road have become wetlands because of years of inactivity. The county will hire a company to inspect the property with $20,000 from its share of the state's gaming compact with the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe.

"A lot of it hasn't been maintained over the years," said Raymond H. Fountain, county economic development director.

Legislators agreed in April 2006 to transfer 246 acres to the county Industrial Development Agency. The IDA intended to market it to Ainsworth Lumber and businesses that would want to be near the company's more than $300 million oriented strand board mill proposed for 72 acres of Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority land across the road. The company abandoned the project because of declining prices for its product, which is used like plywood in construction.

Ainsworth intended to use the roadside portion of the county land as part of its operation.

The IDA never took ownership of the county land. The property surrounds the Ogdensburg waste transfer station. The county bought the property 20 years ago for its incinerator, which was never built.

"It's not bad property. A lot of it looks like meadows. It's in a good location, close to property Ogdensburg Bridge and Port owns that has water, sewer, rail line," said Mr. Fountain, who is also IDA chief executive officer.

The survey work is expected to be done this year; then the county will proceed with marketing.

Ainsworth is keeping its state air emissions permit and has not closed the door on returning, but that is years away because the company is concentrating on existing mills.

"Unfortunately, we can't hold that property forever," Mr. Fountain said.

OBPA is marketing its 72 acres.