Department of Veterans Affairs cemeteries in three states will now have specified sections for "green burials," giving veterans the chance to lessen the environmental impact of their interments.
The pilot program, which started this fall at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix; Pikes Peak National Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida, will provide an additional burial option at VA cemeteries, acting Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Ronald Walters said in a news release Tuesday.
According to Walters, the pilot will help the VA gather information and define procedures for expansion to more cemeteries.
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"This pilot reflects our commitment to understand and address the emerging burial preferences of veterans and their loved ones," Walters said in the release.
For a burial to be considered "green" by the VA, the body may be cremated or buried, but preparations must be free of chemicals or embalming fluids and the urn or casket must be biodegradable or securely wrapped in a biodegradable shroud.
The National Cemeteries Preservation and Protection Act of 2022 allowed the VA to establish sections of the graveyards for green burials. The National Cemetery Administration has always accepted naturally prepared remains or those in biodegradable containers for burial in national cemeteries, but the pilot will let veterans and their families select a final resting place tailored for their wishes.
The legislation also gave the VA the authority to decide what types of markers should be used to delineate the graves in these sections, as most green burial cemeteries do not feature upright headstones.
The VA manages 155 cemeteries nationwide and funds an additional 121 state, territorial and tribal veterans cemeteries. More than 4 million veterans are buried at national cemeteries, according to the department.
"Green" or natural burials are nearly as old as humankind, with prehistoric cultures burying their dead without preservation techniques. Embalming and other forms of preservation became popular only in the 19th and 20th centuries, and in the U.S. after the Civil War, according to the website for Serenity Ridge, the state of Maryland's first natural cemetery, which opened last year.
The House Veterans Affairs Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs subcommittee held a hearing Nov. 13 on the VA's plans to provide 95% of the nation's veterans access to a national, state or tribal veterans burial site within 75 miles of their homes.
In addition to managing its own cemeteries, the department provides grants to state, territorial and tribal entities that operate cemeteries for the purpose of burying veterans.
Rep. Morgan McGarvey, a Kentucky Democrat, praised the VA for what he called "innovative" practices such as its online database that honors America's veterans, known as the Veterans Legacy Memorial, and the Green Burial Initiative.
"I think these are great examples of an innovative response approach to honoring our fallen veterans. I'm a big believer in innovation in the VA. ... I love what you guys are doing," McGarvey said.
He noted, however, that some cemeteries, including one in his district, that contain veterans' remains, should be eligible for grant funds to help maintain the plots of those already interred across the U.S.
"When we think about our veterans, honoring our veterans, honoring the men and women who served us, it's so important that they all rest in dignity and power," McGarvey said.
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