This report presents the results of a program to determine the probable tolerable limits of hydrogen chloride and hydrogen fluoride present in the fuel and oxidant streams of molten carbonate fuel cells that are operating on gasified coal. A literature survey and thermodynamic analyses were performed to determine the likely effects of halides on cell performance and materials. Based on the results of these studies, accelerated corrosion experiments and electrode half-cell performance tests were conducted using electrolyte which contained chloride and fluoride. These data and the results of previous in-cell tests were used to develop a computer for predicting the performance decay due to these halides. The tolerable limits were found to be low (less than 1 PPM) and depend on the power plant system configuration, the operating conditions of the fuel cell stack, the cell design and initial electrolyte inventory, and the ability of the cell to scrub low levels of halide from the reactant streams. The primary decay modes were conversion of the electrolyte from pure carbonate to a carbonate-halide mixture and accelerated electrolyte evaporation. 75 figs., 16 tabs.