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VA finalizes land acquisitions for new WNY veterans cemetery

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has completed the final land acquisitions in Genesee County needed to build a new National Veterans Cemetery.

The Democrat from New York says with the two newly acquired parcels, one which is 60 acres, and the other 77 acres, the cemetery in Pembroke will effectively double in size.

The two parcels are located adjacent to the 132-acre cemetery site that was purchased by the VA in 2014.

Schumer is urging the VA to swiftly begin construction of the cemetery this year. 

When completed, it will be the only one of its kind in the Buffalo-Rochester area. Right now, the nearest national veterans cemetery is in Bath, in Steuben County.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.