24. We have just finished the second quarter coal mercury data statistical evaluation and passed. At this time, we have two quarterly evaluations back-to-back that meet the target and we are considering relaxing the analyses frequency to every twelfth shipment. However, it is not feasible, since the guideline states that there should never be fewer than three analyses per month. Can we analyze the third quarter's coal on a compromised schedule of every tenth shipment which will meet all the requirements?

As long as you are as stringent in analyzing as necessary and never analyze fewer than three times per month nor less frequently than every twelfth shipment, you are free to pick any number of samples per month you wish to analyze. Therefore, sampling on a frequency of every tenth shipment for the third quarter will be acceptable.

25. One of my plants units didn't burn any fuel during a certain month. How do I handle this in the Fuel Usage page?

If you had a unit(s) that did not operate for an entire month, please leave that unit(s) fuel usage table untouched for that month. Do not try to put a fuel type in for the unit and "0" in for the tonnage burned as this will not be accepted by the database.

26. Will the requirements of the mercury collection ICR (e.g., coal sampling and analyses, speciated mercury testing) continue in calendar year 2000?

The Agency currently has no plans to continue the requirements of the ICR in calendar year 2000 beyond those already included (final coal analyses due February 15, 2000; final speciated mercury emission test reports due May 31, 2000). The revision of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reporting was recently approved (Federal Register, Volume 64, Number 209, Friday, October 29, 1999, pp. 5866+). This revision, which applies to electric utilities, lowers the reporting threshold for mercury to 10 pounds and becomes effective on January 1, 2000.