The EPA Burial at Sea Report, Explained

What the federal 30-day burial at sea report is, who files it, what EPA's online reporting tool asks for, and why San Diego ceremonies report to EPA Region 9.

Every burial at sea in U.S. waters ends with a short federal report. Families sometimes hear about it and worry it is one more task for them. Here is what it is and who handles it.

Where the Requirement Comes From

Burial at sea is authorized by a general permit issued by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act. The permit is published at 40 C.F.R. § 229.1. It sets the rules: cremated remains must be released no closer than three nautical miles from land, and flowers and wreaths must be made of materials that readily decompose in the sea. Paragraph (d) adds the reporting rule: "All burials conducted under this general permit shall be reported within 30 days to the Regional Administrator of the Region from which the vessel carrying the remains departed."

Why Region 9

The report goes to the EPA region where the boat left port, not where the person lived or died. A ceremony that departs from San Diego is reported to EPA Region 9, the Pacific Southwest.

The Online Reporting Tool

EPA accepts reports through its Burial at Sea Reporting Tool. According to EPA's fact sheet, a report asks for:

• Contact information for the person responsible for the burial arrangements, who may be a funeral director, a relative, or someone designated to report
• Contact information for the person responsible for the vessel
• The name of the deceased and the date of burial
• The departure location and the type of remains
• The distance from the baseline and the coordinates of the burial

EPA's burial at sea page notes that no documentation, such as a death certificate, needs to be submitted with the report. After submission, EPA sends an email confirmation and later either accepts the report or asks for a correction.

Who Files It

For ceremonies aboard JADA, the crew files the EPA report on the family's behalf, along with the San Diego County filing required by California Health & Safety Code § 7117. The family receives a record of the GPS coordinates of the release point. You do not need to create an account or fill in the form yourself.

For the full sequence of documents, see the paperwork timeline and the three-mile rule. The paperwork is real, but it does not have to be yours to carry.

This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm current rules with the cited source or an attorney.

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