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January 31, 2013

Millennium-Project

Image: Army Corp of Engineers

Arlington National Cemetery's Millennium Project would make space suitable for burial in a northwest corner of the cemetery. Some trees that date back to just after the Civil War might be cut down.

Plans to expand Arlington Cemetery may be on hold thanks to an unanticipated controversy around old-growth trees that would be destroyed, according to the head of Arlington County's Environmental and Energy Conservation Committee.

At a Jan. 28 meeting, E2C2 unanimously approved a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers opposing the cemetery's "Millennium Project" expansion and arguing that the environmental assessment published in December was inadequate.

"We understand the pressures on the [Arlington National Cemetery] to provide new burial sites," the committee wrote . "The proposed destruction of the largest remaining old-growth woodland in northern Virginia would buy ANC only another 7-12 more years of new burial sites. Old-growth forests are in essence irreplaceable."

In an email to the Mercury, the Corp said it will reevaluate the environmental impact.

"To address concerns that have been raised, we intend to revise the current Environmental Assessment and re-issue for public review," wrote Susan Connor. "We believe we will be able to address the concerns in a timely manner so it will have minimal impacts if any to the overall timeline of the project."

Connor, head of the Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk district's environmental analysis section, said the EA process is designed to balance the cemetery's needs with the environmental impact.

E2C2 Chair Susan Cunniff said the Corps was taken by surprise by popular outcry against plans to cut down 890 trees, including some dating back around 130 years.

"It turned out to be a lot more controversial than [the Corps] ever imagined," Cunniff added.

Cunniff said the official period to comment on the environmental assessment closed earlier in January. She also said the Environmental Protection Agency may take an interest in the expansion.

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January 31, 2013

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Comments (6)

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Arlington Cemetary

While I do not consider 130 year old trees OLD GROWTH TREES they are certainly a necessary aesthetic addition to Arl Cemetary and the environment. It seems if we are talking about making room for columbariums we could remove some trees and bury or spread ashes among the trees without removing the trees. Ref the trees in the older parts of the cemetary near the Main Chapel on Ft . Other veterans may opt to have their ashes spread among the trees rather than placed in a niche which would solve both problems. Space for existing trees and space for the vets to have their ashes spread with plaques on a wall rather than columbarium. Are there plans to expand onto the old Navy Annex grounds for more burial spots? save the old trees which add so much to Arlington.

Chris Heuple 106 days ago

Old Growth trees vs. cemetery site for heroes

Our soldiers have given lives for freedom and liberty. I am sure that they would agree and understand the importance of the environment. I think that their memory and environmental interests can be be compatible. Why not use sites around old growth trees? Trees can and will out last and benefit many humans. These trees, like soldiers, live and die for the betterment of the environment and citizens such as you and me.

Brenda Kriegel 106 days ago

Save the Trees: Contact members of Congress

Nothing is going to save the trees unless Congress repeals the law that transferred the woodlands from the Department of the Interior to the Department of the Army (Section 2821 of Public Law 104-201, Sept. 23, 1996 (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997, at 110 STAT. 37564 - 37565, at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-104publ201/pdf/PLAW-104publ201.pdf ).

A provision in the law required the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to submit to the Army's Congressional authorizing committees an environmental analysis for the project "not later than October 31, 1997". This would have permitted Congress to repeal or modify the portion of the law affecting the trees before the transfer took place if the environmental impact was too large.

However, the Secretary of the Interior failed to submit the environmental analysis by October 31, 1997, Instead, the Secretary transferred the property to the Department of the Army without ever permitting the 104th Congress from learning the amount of damage to the environment that the transfer would cause.

This was nothing less than a fraud by the federal Executive Department. The fraud violated the principle of the separation of powers that the U.S. Constitution mandates.

Anyone wishing to save the trees needs to ask their Senators and Representatives to sponsor legislation to correct the fraud by repealing the legislation. Nothing else will save the trees.

The Army can expand the Cemetery into the Pentagon parking lot if it so desires. The Army can also designate another National Cemetery for its highest priority internments. This would save the trees.

You can be sure that the Army won't do this if Congress does not repeal the law. These trees, and many others, will fall victim to the Cemetery's cynical and fallacious so-called "needs".

Bernard H. Berne 106 days ago

Creatively use trees for memorials

My father was a Navy veteran and he asked that his ashes be spread in nature, and not enclosed in a concrete building. Why can't these old growth trees be preserved with walking paths and locations for memorial sites for the ashes of those veterans who feel this way? Quite a few churches have opted for memorial gardens for parishoners. We can both honor promises to veterans and preserve the trees.

Nora 107 days ago

Arlington Cemetary old growth trees

Thank you for continuing to report on the Arlington Cemetary and the plight of the old growth trees. Your articles have helped to make us aware of the intention to remove the trees and spurred citizen efforts to save the trees. Now, what about VDOT's decimation (clear cutting) of thousands of trees around Route 50 from Rosslyn to Washington Blvd. and the loss of trees around the Columbia Pike/Washington Blvd bridge? Thanks Arlington Mercury!

Margaret Alvord 110 days ago

save the trees

Good news yes, but better news would be an outright scrapping of the plans by the Army Corps. Those trees are the living history of the site and should not be cut down for any reason, ever. Active duty servicemembers, veterans and their families understand this. It is not ok to cut down this forest, once cut it is gone forever to extend the carrying capacity of the cemetery for a few more years. We need to accept that the time is coming when the cemetery must close.

terri 110 days ago

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