Gov. Sarah Palin signed the bill creating the cemetery this week during a ceremony in Fairbanks. Palin expects the cemetery to be built by 2014. Sen. Gene Therriault, R-North Pole, co-sponsored the bill with Sen. Charlie Huggins, R-Wasilla. The federal Veterans Administration will pay for the construction, provided the state allocates money for operations and maintenance. Officials say some of the state money will come from sales of a commemorative veterans license plate created through the new legislation.
Rep. David Guttenberg, D-Fairbanks, expects a committee to identify land for a cemetery later this summer. One possible site is on Fort Wainwright property behind Birch Hill Cemetery. "People are excited," he said. "It's been a long time coming. We're finally here; they will have hallowed ground."
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