Green Burial Initiative

VA announced on November 26, 2024, the National Cemeteries Administration is now piloting interments in green burial sections at three VA national cemeteries (National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix, Arizona; Pikes Peak National Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida). 

• This pilot provides Veterans interment options that minimize environmental impact.
• “NCA is pleased to begin offering this new option to Veterans and their family members eligible for interment in a VA national cemetery,” said Acting Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Ronald Walters. “This pilot reflects our commitment to understand and address the emerging burial preferences of Veterans and their loved ones.”
• NCA will accept both cremated and intact remains for interment in green burial sections. Federal law provides that remains interred in a green burial section must be prepared for burial in a manner that does not involve chemicals or embalming fluids; and that the remains are buried in a biodegradable casket or urn, or are otherwise interred in a natural manner, such as securely wrapped in a biodegradable shroud.