Baseline

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-002798",
  "term": "Baseline",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. The numeric level of pollution coming from a source during a particular time period, which is used as a standard to measure future reduction goals and allowances against.\n\n2. An initial set of observations or data used for comparison or as a control; a starting point.\n\n3. An established value or trend used for comparison when conditions are altered, as in the introduction of water conservation measures.\n\n4. Annual average quantity of fossil fuel consumed by a unit, measured in millions of British Thermal Units (expressed in mmBtu) for calendar years 1985 through 1987; provided that in the event that a unit is listed in the NADB, the baseline will be calculated for each unit-generator pair that includes the unit, and the unit's baseline will be the sum of such unit-generator baselines. The unit-generator baseline will be as provided in the NADB under the data field “BASE8587”, as adjusted by the outage hours listed in the NADB under the data field “OUTAGEHR” in accordance with the following equation: Baseline = BASE8587 × {26280 / (26280 - OUTAGEHR)} × {36 / (36 - months not on line)} × 106 “Months not on line” is the number of months during January 1985 through December 1987 prior to the commencement of firing for units that commenced firing in that period, i.e., the number of months, in that period, prior to the on-line month listed under the data field “BLRMNONL” and the on-line year listed in the data field “BLRYRONL” in the NADB.\n\n5. Numeric level of pollution coming from a source during a particular time period, which is used as a standard to measure future reduction goals and allowances against.\n\n6. The pollutant control requirements that apply to buyers and sellers in the absence of trading. Sellers must first achieve their applicable baselines before they can enter the trading market and sell credits. Buyers can purchase credits to achieve their applicable baselines once they have met their minimum control levels.\n\n7. Some programs use baseline to define loads in a specific year, which usually represents the starting point of the program.\n\n8. A reference condition against which changes or trends are judged - usually a set of conditions that exist at a particular point in time.\n\n9. 1.) The pollutant control requirements that apply to buyers and sellers in the absence of trading. Sellers must first achieve their applicable baselines before they can enter the trading market and sell credits. Buyers can purchase credits to achieve their applicable baselines once they have met their minimum control levels. 2.) Some programs use baseline to define loads in a specific year, which usually represents the starting point of the program.\n\n10. Describes an initial, status quo scenario that is used for comparison with one or more alternative scenarios. In typical economic analyses the baseline is defined as the best assessment of the way the world would evolve absent the regulation or policy action.",
  "subject": "Water",
  "references": [
    "Chesapeake Bay Glossary",
    "Watershed Planning Glossary of Terms",
    "Water Conservation Plan Guidelines Glossary; Water Conservation Glossary",
    "40 CFR 72.2 (CFR 2013)",
    "Water Quality Toolkit Glossary",
    "Report on the Environment (ROE) Glossary",
    "Water Quality Trading Toolkit for Permit Writers Glossary",
    "Preparing Economic Analyses Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/baseline/"
}