Draft Environmental Review Proposes Phase 5 Expansion at Quantico National Cemetery
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has released a draft environmental assessment for a proposed fifth expansion phase at the National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico, opening the federal project to public review but not approving construction.
The proposal would develop approximately 25 acres within the cemetery’s existing approximately 725-acre property in Triangle. VA says the project could add approximately 10,850 gravesites, improve internal roads and the main entrance, renovate or replace cemetery and maintenance facilities, install utilities and construct an approximately 60-foot water tower.
A cemetery expansion inside the existing property
The proposal is not for a separate, off-site cemetery. It would use undeveloped land within the existing National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico, formerly known as Quantico National Cemetery.
The draft assessment says the project is intended to provide continued burial capacity and services for eligible veterans and family members in the region. The assessment says the cemetery performs approximately 1,500 burials each year, with as many as approximately eight occurring in one day.
VA prepared the document under the National Environmental Policy Act. At the conclusion of the review, the agency will determine whether the assessment supports a finding of no significant impact or whether a more detailed Environmental Impact Statement is needed.
Route 619 and I-95 are the local access context
Although the cemetery carries the Quantico name, the project site is in Triangle, not within the municipal boundaries of the Town of Quantico. Triangle and the cemetery are part of the broader Prince William County area, near Marine Corps Base Quantico and Prince William Forest Park.
The cemetery is along Route 619, also known as Joplin Road, approximately 0.8 miles west of the I-95 interchange. The draft assessment identifies Route 619 from the interchange as the access route for construction vehicles.
VA’s draft traffic analysis estimates fewer than 30 construction vehicle trips per day, representing less than 1% of the approximately 3,600 vehicles that use that section of Route 619 daily. Construction would generally occur on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., with coordination intended to avoid conflicts with funeral processions and visitor parking.
The assessment also says long-term cemetery operations would generally maintain existing traffic volumes. The Phase 5 expansion would primarily shift interments into new burial sections as current sections fill, rather than increase the number of services conducted each day, according to the draft analysis.
No proposed change to I-95 access controls
Virginia Department of Transportation officials noted in agency comments that any future change to the I-95 access-control line would require approvals from the Federal Highway Administration and the Commonwealth Transportation Board.
VA responded that the current proposed action is not expected to affect the I-95 access-control line. The agency said it would coordinate with those authorities if future design refinements indicate a potential effect. The proposal does not describe a new interchange or a change to I-95 access.
Environmental findings remain preliminary
The draft assessment identifies short-term construction effects such as temporary increases in dust, noise, traffic and stormwater runoff. It also identifies permanent vegetation and habitat loss of up to 25 acres within the expansion area, while stating that wetlands and associated buffer areas would be avoided and that no adverse effect to listed species or their habitat is expected.
Those are preliminary agency conclusions in a draft review, not final environmental findings. The document says the project would include regulatory compliance and resource-protection measures, including stormwater controls.
Public comments remain part of the process
VA dated its Notice of Availability June 22, 2026. The notice says the draft assessment is available through VA and at Dumfries Library, 18115 Triangle Shopping Plaza in Dumfries.
Comments may be submitted by email to vacoenvironment@va.gov with the subject line “National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico EA.” The notice states: “Comments must be received within 30 days of receipt of this notice.” It does not specify a single calendar deadline.
Public comments may inform later federal environmental documentation and project decisions. The available records do not establish that the expansion has been finally approved, funded for construction or begun.
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