Future State Veterans Cemetery, Tri-Cities

The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs is interested in building a new State Veterans Cemetery in the Tri-Cities region.  The State Veteran Cemetery Program complements the Federal VA’s National Cemeteries by aiding states, territories, and federally recognized tribal governments in providing burial options in areas with too small a Veteran population for a National Cemetery. 

This photo displays the preferred site for the State Veterans Cemetery, Tri-Cities. This is a parcel in the City of Richland, in the Horn Rapids area off State Route 240.  

NEWS UPDATES BY DATE

March 11, 2026 - Preferred Site Announced

January 3, 2026 - Pre-Design Update

September 12, 2025 - Community Members update

May 23, 2025 - Legislative Session update

April 8, 2025 - $500,000 identified in the Governor’s proposed Capital Budget

February, 2025 - WDVA is honored that the Tri City Regional Chamber included WDVA’s proposed Tri-Cities Veterans Cemetery as one of their five priority projects for the 2025 Legislative Session (UPDATE THREE)

January 23, 2025 - WDVA is honored that the Tri City Regional Chamber included WDVA’s proposed Tri-Cities Veterans Cemetery as one of their five priority projects for the 2025 Legislative Session (UPDATE TWO)

October 10, 2024 - WDVA is honored that the Tri City Regional Chamber included WDVA’s proposed Tri-Cities Veterans Cemetery as one of their five priority projects for the 2025 Legislative Session (UPDATE ONE)

Frequently Asked Questions:

Question: Where is the proposed State Veterans Cemetery, Tri-Cities site located?

Answer: WDVA's preferred site is a parcel in the City of Richland, in the Horn Rapids area off State Route 240. This 140-acre parcel was reserved by the City in August 2025 for a no-cost public purpose transfer to WDVA to build a State Veterans Cemetery.

Question: Is the site in a floodplain? 

Answer: The site is not in a mapped floodplain and sits on a high bank. Environmental and safety factors are being evaluated through the pre-design process and must meet all state and federal requirements before moving forward. For more information on the site selection process, visit: dva.wa.gov/tri-cities-cemetery  

Question: Is this near Hanford / nuclear waste? 

Answer: The site is currently agricultural land. Environmental risks are consistent with other properties in the surrounding area. 

Question: Why build another cemetery if Medical Lake exists? 

Answer: Medical Lake serves eastern Washington but is located more than 130 miles from the Tri-Cities. This project improves access for Veterans and families in southeast Washington and is expected to serve approximately 46,000 Veterans within a 75-mile radius. 

Providing reasonable access to burial options is a federal priority, and according to VA data, most Veterans are laid to rest within 75 miles of their home. This is why the federal VA partners with states and Tribes to construct state or Tribal Veteran Cemeteries. 

Question: When will the Tri-Cities Cemetery Open, how long will this process take?

Answer: Establishing a State Veterans Cemetery is a multi-year endeavor.  Since holding a town hall on May 22, 2024, we know the community is interested in seeing a Veterans Cemetery placed in their area we, so we have moved on to the next steps which include:

• Acquire the land, (the title must be held by WDVA).
• Receive authorization and funding from the State Legislature for 10% of the cemetery build costs and for ongoing operations of the cemetery (equipment, staff, utilities, etc).
• Receive a State Veterans Cemetery Grant from the Federal VA.  (It is important to note that there is never enough funding for all the state cemetery applications to be funded at the Federal level.  It could take several cycles for our Cemetery to be a high enough priority at the Federal VA to be approved.)
• Pass legislation at the State level granting WDVA the authority to operate the cemetery.
• Develop a master plan for a State Veterans Cemetery, Tri-Cities. 
• Begin construction.

Question: Who is eligible to be interred at a State Veterans Cemetery?

Answer: Eligibility for interment in a State Veterans Cemetery mirrors that of a National Veterans Cemetery.  In general, the following individuals are eligible for interment:

• All members of the uniformed services who have met a minimum active duty service requirement and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
• A Veteran's spouse, widow or widower, minor dependent children, and under certain conditions, unmarried adult children with disabilities may also be eligible for burial.
• Eligible spouses and children may be buried even if they predecease the Veteran.
• Members of the reserve components of the armed forces who die while on active duty or who die while on training duty, or were eligible for retired pay, may also be eligible for burial.
• For more information visit the National Cemetery Administration’s eligibility web page.
• There is no requirement to be a resident of Washington State. 

Question: What can I do to help?

Answer: Let us know if you are aware of land that is available or may be available in the Tri-Cities area at CemeteryTri-Cities@dva.wa.gov.  You can also share this information with other Veterans or Veteran Advocates in your area!

Question: Is there a Cemetery Committee or other group I can join?

Answer: Not yet!  Our first focus is identifying land.  After land is identified, we may reach back out to the Tri-Cities Veterans Community to determine whether there is interest in establishing a more formal local committee to act in an advisory capacity to WDVA. 

For now, the best way to stay connected is to sign up for our Proposed Tri-Cities Cemetery email list by clicking this link: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADVA/subscriber/new or by visiting our Proposed Tri-Cities Veterans Cemetery website at https://www.dva.wa.gov/tri-cities-cemetery.

Question: Do Armed Forces License Plates support State Veterans Cemeteries?

Answer: Currently, Armed Forces License Plates pay for approximately 50% of the operating costs of the Medical Lake State Veterans Cemetery.  Each time a plate is purchased or renewed, $28 comes to WDVA’s Stewardship Fund which supports the Medical Lake Veterans Cemetery and programs serving Veterans without homes.  Right now, the plates do not generate enough revenue to support two State Veterans Cemeteries; however, if additional plates are sold, that could change!

Question: Can I donate to the Cemetery?

Answer: We don’t have the ability to accept small donations to the Tri-Cities Veterans Cemetery at this time*; however, If individuals would like to donate to our existing cemetery at Medical Lake, we can accept them by mail or credit card.

Medical Lake Cemetery Donations by mail

Please send your donation to:

Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs
PO Box 41150
Olympia, WA 98504-1150. 

Please identify Medical Lake Cemetery

Online Medical Lake Cemetery Donations

Online Donation Form - complete the online donation process with a credit card or bank account. Be sure to indicate that your donation will be going to one of the following funds:

Please identify "08V – Veterans Stewardship Account" and the fund or flag type in the "Donation Purpose:" field.

To donate to our annual Holiday Remembrance Event:  08V – Veterans Stewardship Account – HOLMCL in the "Donation Purpose:" field.

Purchasing an Armed Forces License Plate is another way to support cemetery operations at Medical Lake now and a Tri-Cities Cemetery in the future.  

*Please contact us at CemeteryTri-Cities@dva.wa.gov if you have a large financial donation or if you would like to discuss a land donation.