Maine is considering allowing Viking-style funeral pyres.
A measure before the state Legislature this session would allow those in the state to choose a death ritual that stretches back to ancient times: outdoor cremations.
If adopted, it would allow state residents to literally go out in a blaze of glory in the open air.
Right now, there are only two sites in the U.S. where outdoor cremations are legal, both in Colorado, and only one of the sites is public.
The bill would allow a nonprofit that possesses at least 20 acres of land to carry out the open-air cremations, one at a time, and to scatter the ashes on property.
Outdoor cremations are widely practiced in some parts of the world.
A public hearing has yet to be scheduled on the proposal.
Cox Media Group
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