U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe and U.S. Senator Susan Collins today announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded a grant of $4,275,187 for the construction and establishment of a State Veterans’ Cemetery to be located in Springvale. The grant will fund the complete construction of the new twelve acre cemetery.
“This is wonderful news for Maine’s veterans,” said Senators Snowe and Collins. “This new cemetery will allow southern Maine’s veterans with the opportunity to make their final resting place closer to home and their families. Currently, the nearest veterans’ cemetery for many southern Maine veterans is over 50 miles away and across state lines. We believe that our veterans and their families deserve to be closer to one another.”
The new cemetery will include a main entrance, full casket and cremain burial areas, columbaria, roads, an assembly areas, a committal shelter, maintenance building, and supporting infrastructure. The land was provided by the State of Maine, and the State will assume all costs of operation.
Senator Collins is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.