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Brownfields 2006
Grant Fact Sheet
Sprague, CT
EPA Brownfields Program
EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, commu-
nities, and other stakeholders to work together to
prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse
brownfields. Abrownfield site is real property, the
expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be
complicated by the presence or potential presence of a
hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. On
January 11, 2002, President George W. Bush signed
into law the Small Business Liability Relief and
Brownfields Revitalization Act. Under the
Brownfields Law, EPA provides financial assistance to
eligible applicants through four competitive grant
programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund
grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. Addi-
tionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal
response programs through a separate mechanism.
Community Description
The Town of Sprague was selected to receive a
brownfields cleanup grant. Located in southeastern
Connecticut, Sprague (population 2,971) is a suburban
community historically dependent on thread and
cotton mill operations. Because Sprague is not easily
accessible to major highways and places of industry or
interest, the decline of the mill industries has had a
particularly severe impact on the local economy and
population. Sprague has two brownfields sites known
to be contaminated and nine additional potentially
contaminated sites. It ranks in the lower third of
Connecticut's towns for median family income and has
the lowest population growth rate of any town in
southeastern Connecticut. Most Sprague residents are
underemployed and work minimum wage jobs in
casinos located approximately 20 miles south of town.
Cleanup Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the Town of Sprague for a
brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances
grant funds will be used to clean up antimony and
arsenic contamination on a 12-acre portion of the
Mukluk Preserve Pond site, a former hunting
preserve and skeet range at 239 Pautipaug Hill
Road. Grant funds will be used to obtain permits;
post restricted access signs; remove trees and
vegetation; and remove and dispose of shell
casings and targets associated with the skeet
range.
Contacts
For further information, including specific grant
contacts, additional grant information, brownfields
news and events, and publications and links, visit
the EPA Brownfields web site at: www.epa.gov/
brownfields.
EPA Region 1 Brownfields Team
617-918-1424
http://www.epa.gov/region01/brownfields/
Grant Recipient: Town of Sprague, CT
860-822-3000
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
in this fact sheet are subject to change.
The town plans to clean up a 12-acre portion of the 280-
acre Mukluk Preserve Pond site, a former sportsmen's
club that is contaminated by metals from its use as a
skeet range. The pond is part of the Shetucket Heritage
Corridor, a breeding ground for a variety of important
fish species. Cleanup of this site will ensure that sedi-
ment from the pond is prevented from migrating into the
Shetucket River, causing possible downstream contami-
nation offish and other resources. Initial cleanup will
mitigate potential exposure pending complete soil and
sediment cleanup. Once it is cleaned up, Sprague plans
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-06-007
May 2006
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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to use the site as open space that will provide the
public with access to the waterfront and a safe place for
hiking, fishing, and sightseeing.
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