WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded $8.5 million to the state of California to establish the Northern California Veterans Cemetery near Redding in Shasta County.
“This award, and an increasing number like it for state veterans cemeteries, recognize the contributions of America’s aging veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi. “I appreciate President Bush’s leadership in supporting state veterans cemeteries.”
Approximately 49,000 Northern California veterans, along with their dependents, are not now served by a national or state veterans cemetery. The new cemetery site is about 170 miles south of the nearest national cemetery, Eagle Point National Cemetery, in Oregon.
Plans call for the development of 21.5 acres on the 63-acre site, and will include an administration building, maintenance building, committal shelter, assembly area, columbarium for cremated remains and public information center. Development will provide a total of 8,523 burial sites, which includes 2,085 traditional in-ground gravesites, 2,032 pre-placed graveliners or crypts, 3,206 in-ground cremation sites and 1,200 columbarium niches.
As a complement to VA’s system of national cemeteries, the State Cemetery Grants Program has helped establish, expand or improve 55 operational state veterans cemeteries. States are responsible for operating their veterans cemeteries after VA assists with construction. State veterans cemeteries provided more than 18,000 burials in fiscal year 2003. Since the program began in 1980, VA has awarded 136 grants for more than $200 million to 30 states and Guam.
Information about the grants program is available by contacting VA’s State Cemetery Grants Service at (202) 565-6801. Eligibility for burial in the Northern California Veterans Cemetery is based on the same criteria as burial in a VA national cemetery. More information about the cemetery is available from the California Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Services Division, on the Internet at http://www.cdva.ca.gov or by calling 1-916-653-2573.
Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices or VA Web sites on the Internet at http://www.cem.va.gov/, or by calling VA regional offices toll-free on 1-800-827-1000.
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Reporters and media outlets with questions or comments should contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov
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