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6226 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 28 / Tuesday, February 11, 1997 / Noticesgovernment. As is the case for thoseemployees, the costs are borne by thebeneficiary who pays the entirepremium charge. Additionally, theDepartment of Defense is permitted tocharge up to an additional ten percentof the premium to cover administrativeexpenses. The referenced final ruleindicated that the Department wouldannually review the premium rates andadjust these rates as necessary.The CHCBP became effective October1, 1994. Premiums for the CHCBP aredetermined by enrollment category. TheCHCBP features two enrollmentcategories, which are individual andfamily. Initial quarterly premium rateswere established at Individual—$410;and Family $891.Initial CHCBP rates were based on the1994 Mail Handlers Standard rates. TheOffice of Personnel Management (OPM)quarterly premium rates for MailHandlers Standard increased in 1996and $622 and $1,390 for Familycoverage. However, the Departmentelected not to increase initial CHCBPfiscal year 1995 premium rates for fiscalyear 1996 to allow for a full year ofoperational data to be collected toenable a thorough utilization review tobe conducted. Operational experienceduring fiscal years 1995 and 1996revealed that the initial premiums havenot been sufficient to cover expensesincurred in paying CHCBP claims. Assuch, the Department has had tosupplement premium funds withDefense Health Program funding tocover CHCBP expenses in fiscal year1995 and 1996. Therefore, theDepartment proposes to raise thepremiums for the CHCBP in fiscal year1997 to the Blue Cross/Blue Shield—High Option Level (maximum levelallowable under enacting legislation) tokeep pace with the costs incurred andto reflect the similar increase in FEHBPplans.Dated: February 5, 1997.L.M. Bynum,Alternate OSD Federal Register LiaisonOfficer, Department of Defense.[FR Doc. 97–3243 Filed 2–10–97; 8:45 am]BILLING CODE 5000–04–MCorps of Engineers; Department of theArmyIntent To Prepare a DraftEnvironmental Impact Statement(DEIS) for Long-Term Dredged MaterialManagement at Grand Haven Harbor,MichiganAGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,DOD.ACTION: Notice of Intent.SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers, Detroit District, is evaluatingthe environmental impacts of long-termdredged material managementalternatives for Grand Haven Harbor,Michigan. The Federal navigationproject at Grand Haven includes anentrance protected by parallel piers andrevetments at the mouth of the GrandRiver, a deep draft channel extendingupstream to Spring Lake, a deep-draftturning basin, and a shallow-draft riverchannel extending 14.5 miles furtherupstream. A study has been undertakento identify a suitable disposal plan fordredged material to be removed over thenext 20 years, to maintain the deep-draftchannel. The deep-draft portion of theproject consists of approximately 2 1 ⁄2miles of channel, 300 feet wide, withdepths varying from 23 feet at theentrance to 21 feet in the remainder ofthe channel. Shoaled material dredgedfrom the outer harbor portion of thenavigation channel (Harbor entrance),consisting primarily of sand, hasroutinely been placed along adjacentshoreline reaches. Silty sand dredgedfrom the inner deep-draft harbor wasplaced at the Harbor Island DisposalFacility which is now filled. A Long-Term Dredged Material ManagementPlan is being developed for the harbor,a Draft Environmental Impact Statement(EIS) is being prepared to evaluatedredged material disposal alternativesproposed as part of this plan. Disposalalternatives under consideration includeopen-water placement, uplandplacement, and beneficial use of thematerial. The no Federal actionalternative, which would allow thenavigation channel to shoal in, will alsobe evaluated.FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:Questions about the proposed EIS anddredged material management plandevelopment can be directed to Mr. LesE. Weigum, Chief, EnvironmentalAnalysis Branch; Engineering &Planning Division; U.S. Army EngineerDistrict, Detroit; P.O. Box 1027; Detroit,Michigan 48231–1027. Telephone: 313–226–6752.SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: GrandHaven Harbor is located at the mouth ofthe Grand River, on the eastern shore ofLake Michigan, in Ottawa County,Michigan, approximately 30 milesnorthwest of Grand Rapids. The tricitiesof Grand Haven, Spring Lake andFerrysburg cluster around the mouth ofthe Grand River. Project authority forGrand Haven Harbors is from the Riverand Harbor Act of 1866 and subsequentacts.Dredged material management forGrand Haven Harbor historically hasconsisted of two strategies: The outerharbor material, which is primarilysand, has been used to nourish adjacenteroding beaches. Maintenance dredgingof this outer harbor, which includes theentrance canal from Lake Michiganthrough the breakwaters, is projected torequire management of 600,000 cubicyards of dredged material over the next20 years. It is proposed that thismaterial continue to be beneficiallyused for nourishment of erodingbeaches in the harbor vicinity.The inner harbor material, which issand with some silt, has historicallybeen placed at the Harbor Islanddisposal facility located adjacent to theHarbor. Operation practices extendedthe life of the Harbor Island facility butthe facility is not at maximum capacityand is being developed for recreationaluse. Maintenance dredging of this innerharbor portion is projected to requiremanagement of 400,000 cubic yards ofdredged material over the next 20 years.The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,Detroit District, is currently evaluatingthe environmental impacts of long-termdredged material managementalternatives for dredged material fromthe harbor. An Environmental ImpactStatement will be prepared as acomponent of a 20-year DredgedMaterial Management Plan beingdeveloped for Grand Haven Harbor.Management alternatives for materialremoved form the inner harbor to beevaluated in the EIS include: placementin open water of Lake Michigan, uplandplacement, and beneficial use ofmaterial. The no Federal actionalternative will also be considered. Thefinal 20-year management plan fordredged material may consist of acombination of alternatives andbeneficial use applications.The site identified for open waterplacement of material from the innerharbor is located approximately onemile off shore. The site is an area ofLake Michigan bottomland,approximately 1 ⁄2-mile by 1 ⁄2-mile,located about 3 ⁄4 miles southwest, @225° azimuth from the harbor south pierlight. The site has sufficient water depthto prevent significant disturbance of thedredged material by wind and storminduced wave action in the lake.Dredged material would be transporteddirectly from the dredging operation tothe open water site by floating plant,hydraulic pipeline, or other similarmethods. The suitability of the dredgedmaterial for open-water placement hasbeen determined in accordance with theGreat Lakes Dredged Material Testingand Evaluation Manual (U.S.