By October, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will decide whether to purchase a $3.3-million plot of farmland southeast of Salem to build a cemetery, officials told Salem Reporter. For years, the VA has been looking to build a veterans’ cemetery in the Mid-Willamette Valley to supplement the Willamette National Cemetery near Portland, which is nearing capacity. After evaluating 14 properties in the region, the department settled on 3515 Howell Prairie Rd. S.E. – a 307-acre property currently used to farm grapes. “My go-to source every morning for accurate, local news.” Make Salem Reporter your trusted source for independent local reporting – every day. Stay informed and connected. Subscribe today. Now, on the cusp of the first anniversary of the project’s announcement, VA officials have finally shed light on its timeline – something neighbors and politicians have pushed for since last year.  The VA expects to make a final decision on whether to buy the property by the end of October, VA spokesman Quinn Slaven said in an email. In September, the department anticipates it will publish the final environmental assessment, a key step before deciding on the purchase. The property is owned by Winemakers Investment Properties LLC, a vineyard management company based in Washington. Its manager has expressed interest in selling to the VA.  The VA first notified the public of their plans in September 2025, when it announced it was evaluating the land for environmental impacts. Since then, neighbors to the property in the unincorporated town of Macleay have repeatedly pressed the VA for clear answers.  Recently, resident Tina Herman sent a string of emails, dated July 1, July 23 and Aug. 16, inquiring about project details and timing. She wrote to the VA’s general email for the project and three VA officials who recently visited Salem for public meetings about the cemetery. “As stakeholders and interested parties, our community is intently waiting for your response to our many inquiries and comments,” Herman wrote in the latest email, more stern than the last. “We feel that it would only take a moment of your time to respond to our questions.” She received no response. The draft environmental assessment of the property was officially published in April, shortly before the VA touched down in Salem. During the meetings, officials failed to give clear answers on when the final environmental assessment would be published and when they might move to buy the property. Macleay residents have generally been opposed to a cemetery being built in their rural community, often citing concerns about the water supply, traffic and the destruction of farmland. Neighbors aren’t the only ones with questions or frustrations. “It seems like the VA is hiding the ball from the public here,” said Rep. Janelle Bynum, whose district includes the Howell Prairie Road property, in an emailed statement. “I am concerned about the manner in which the VA selected the site, the irregularities in the process and the fact that they have failed to provide substantive answers to our questions on their process.” On Aug. 5, Bynum and three other federal lawmakers from Oregon sent a probing letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins urging the department to respond to the community’s lingering questions, including those about the timing of the project. It listed seven questions. “Please identify the anticipated date on which the Willamette National Cemetery in Oregon will reach capacity, along with your anticipated project timeline, including all known relevant dates and deadlines for acquisition, construction and completion of the expansion project,” the first question said.  The letter was headed by Sen. Jeff Merkley, joined by Sen. Ron Wyden, Rep. Andrea Salinas and Bynum. READ IT: The congressional letter “Senator Merkley led this letter asking a series of questions after hearing from the local community that the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs was not addressing a number of outstanding questions and concerns,” said Wade Muehlhof, a spokesman for Merkley.  To date, the lawmakers have received no answers from the VA beyond a general acknowledgement of the letter. “We appreciate the lawmakers’ concerns and will continue to coordinate with state and local governments throughout this process,” Slaven, VA spokesman, said. The congressional letter follows local inquiries by the Marion County Board of Commissioners and Gov. Tina Kotek.  Kotek’s letter, sent April 30, urged the VA to work with county commissioners, who have sent multiple inquiries to the VA. “I believe Marion County would be an exceptional collaborator in identifying the most suitable location for the expansion and am writing to encourage you to accept their offer to partner in this endeavor,” she wrote. In a May 14 letter, the commissioners reiterated concerns from neighbors and offered the VA their assistance to find an alternative site.  “The county and neighboring residents have previously identified several concerns regarding the present proposal,” the letter said. “Marion County would like to work alongside the Department of Veterans Affairs to identify a location that better serves veterans and their families, while also better aligning with the needs of the surrounding community.” Commissioners also warned the VA that a cemetery wouldn’t be covered by the property’s existing water certificate, which only allows water use that complies with statewide land-use goals, according to the letter. “It is difficult to envision how a non-irrigated cemetery could provide the beautiful final resting place that veterans deserve, especially during summer months that are hot and dry,” the commissioners wrote. Contact reporter Hailey Cook: [email protected] . 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